Chapter 003

I rushed into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. I am not sure when I heard that knives and similar objects have the function of warding off evil.

I felt an inexplicable sense of wonder as I slowly raised my head, and suddenly discovered that on the other side of the coffin, there was indeed another person, who, like I had just done, was peering into the coffin at the corpse.

As soon as I got up, a boy next to me immediately sat down.

A sudden gasp of surprise erupted behind me, accompanied by a few mocking laughs. I paid no attention to these, hurriedly getting up from the ground, glancing back briefly, yet my steps did not falter.

I was puzzled when Lin Tian seemed to see through my thoughts and said, "My car was damaged last time, but even if it weren't, I wouldn't dare to drive it. I just took my dad's car instead."

There are still many people on the bus, mostly office workers like me. At this stop, quite a few more people got on, making the bus appear even more crowded

I had just wanted him to stop causing trouble when he suddenly pointed at the coffin and said, "Just take a look if you don't believe me"

I had a dream, in which I saw the day of my mother's funeral

Although I thought this way, I did not express it. After some consideration, I agreed.

I was momentarily stunned, and it took me a long time to finally call out, "Mom"

Lin Tian said that he knocked on your door for a long time but received no response

He looked at me in shock for a moment, then suddenly shouted, "You idiot!"

Before the funeral, many relatives and friends came to pay their respects. I knelt by the coffin, greeting each of them in turn.

Lin Tian said, I am not very clear either, the person was found by my mother, and it seems she is quite famous in those circles that engage in feudal superstitions. It is said that she is a blind old woman, and everyone calls her Madame Jiu.

I thought to myself, based on Lin Tian's usual style, he should be worried that something might happen between Lin Tian and me, and he ought to be trying to exorcise me instead!

It was only then that I realized I could hear Lin Tian's voice even through the wall

But perhaps it was simply due to the exhaustion of this day that I, without realizing it, fell asleep.

Lin Tian smiled and said, in the past, I would never have bothered with these people even if it meant death. Who would have thought that after this encounter with the supernatural, I would ultimately follow in my mother's footsteps. I wonder if it's my misfortune or yours.

I lifted my head, and from my angle, I could just see the reflection on the window. I was initially filled with rage, but suddenly it all dissipated.

The house I rented is similar to those in urban villages. Although it looks shabby from the outside, the facilities inside are quite decent. I navigated through those remote alleys and arrived at the door. My hands and feet trembled as I fumbled for the key, but the more anxious I became, the more I struggled to unlock the door, cursing under my breath countless times.

I have just realized that this car has changed ownership, and I can't help but feel that having money at home is truly advantageous; one can change cars whenever one wishes

Little did I know, at that moment, my phone suddenly rang! I was startled once again

Staying at home may feel quite boring, but it seems to be much safer.

Then Lin Tian suddenly appeared behind me. He pulled me, and when I turned to look at him, I saw that he was holding a paper figure in his arms, looking at me with a gloomy expression, and said, "Why are you kneeling? Your mother is not dead!"

Lin Tian stood by the car and shouted, "Get in the car! What are you dawdling for?"

Lin Tian hurriedly explained that my mother found a fortune teller somewhere and told her about our situation. The fortune teller asked us to meet her to dispel any evil spirits affecting us. My mother asked me to come and pick you up

I opened the door and saw Lin Tian standing outside, looking as if he had taken a stimulant, seemingly having truly not continued his hospitalization

I dare not continue to think, as if I have fallen into an ice hole, my body unable to stop trembling

Yet the more I long for it, the slower time seems to pass. This short distance of just one stop feels as if I have circled the city. The people beside me, aside from feeling a bit crowded, do not seem to notice anything unusual. I suddenly find it strange; am I the only one who can see this old man?

Lin Tian suddenly said, I did not ask you to look inside, but to look at her

Everyone was pushing and shoving to squeeze in, and many elderly people and children were being jostled quite severely

Upon hearing this, I truly felt as if the sun had risen from the west, shaking my head repeatedly in disbelief

I said, just by the name alone, one can tell it is not a serious matter, rather it has the feel of a charlatan from some horror films

In the end, I don't know if it's because I was recently discharged from the hospital, but my head is pounding so much that I simply decided to stop thinking about it.

This is somewhat selfish. However, encountering ghosts is different from other matters; everyone is afraid of it. That is why I worry that one day Lin Tian will also keep his distance from me.

I was vague about a few things and did not mention the incident of encountering a ghost again on my way home yesterday

I picked up my phone and glanced at the caller ID; it was a call from Lin Tian

After I finished grooming, I placed a small knife in my pocket, the kind that many people hang on their keychains. It provides a bit of psychological comfort.

The matters of the organization were not attended to, after all, compared to making money, one's life is far more important

I scrambled forward, not knowing how many people's attention I had attracted

He walked in and asked me what I was doing. I was almost about to knock on the door, just hiding in the house without making a sound

I picked up the phone and asked what was wrong

But as soon as I saw this, I regretted it

I was about to lose my temper when the car suddenly decelerated, causing me to lose my balance, and I hurriedly grabbed the handrail by the door

I quickly freshened up, but as I thought about going out, I still felt uncertain.

Because I suddenly realized that in the shadow of the window, there was actually no elderly person standing beside me

I find my current state of being startled and jumpy somewhat amusing, so I randomly wiped my face with both hands, trying to make myself feel more awake and not so paranoid.

The car started and drove straight towards the outskirts of the city, soon exiting the third ring road. Feeling a bit bored, I inquired about Lin Tian's exorcism activities.

It usually takes me about twenty minutes to get from the bus stop to my residence. I didn't expect that by running all the way, I only took seven or eight minutes.

I have been in a state of heightened tension, where even the slightest disturbance can throw me into a panic

Just at that moment, the bus made a sudden stop. I felt a surge of joy in my heart; we had finally arrived at the station

I said, aside from sleeping, what else can I do? I also asked him, how did you come here?

It seems that some individuals who frequently experience sleep paralysis have reported that placing a knife under their pillow while sleeping prevents such occurrences from happening again

I live outside the Second Ring Road, and the road is slightly off the main path. The house is rented. Striving to make a living, it is truly a challenging task to buy a home

I leaned in to take a look and suddenly realized that the coffin lid had disappeared without my noticing. However, my mother was still lying inside, perfectly well, without any foul odor; her face was exactly as I remembered it.

I cursed inwardly, thinking how could I forget something like this, and I have no idea how to explain it to my workplace

Having arranged everything, I curled up in bed, completely covered by the quilt. I placed the knife beside the pillow, within easy reach.

An elderly woman with gray hair was squeezed in beside me. Normally, I have a sense of public duty and it is common for me to give up my seat, but today I simply did not have the energy for it. I thought to myself that someone would eventually stand up to offer their seat. However, after waiting for a long time, I saw no one take action.

I hurriedly ran to the passenger seat

As we stepped out, I noticed Lin Tian's father's car parked across the street, and I thought to myself, could it be that his father is also worried about him being alone with me, so he came along as well

Staying hidden under the blanket like this, I was so bored that I broke into a sweat without moving at all.

After hesitating for a moment, I couldn't hold back any longer. I thought to myself that I would be home soon anyway, so I stood up and said to the old lady, "Please have a seat here."

I was suddenly startled, and instantly woke up, only to realize that I was drenched in cold sweat. Understanding that it was merely a dream, I let out a long sigh of relief

I placed garlic at the door and hung a mirror behind it. Although I am not sure what purpose it serves, it seems that this is how it was portrayed in the horror movies I watched in the past

Lin Tian noticed that my expression was off and hurriedly asked me if something had happened again

As soon as the car door opened a crack, I jumped out, but unexpectedly lost my balance and fell to the ground

As I went to open the door for Lin Tian, I wondered what this person could want by calling me. Suddenly, I realized that my leave of absence had already expired, and today was supposed to be my workday

I also dared not look too much, fearing that she would suddenly notice me. My heart was filled with mixed emotions, and I could only hope that the bus would stop soon

I reflected on the reaction of the young man when I offered my seat; it seems he truly did not notice that an elderly person was standing in front of him

The old woman, who was originally in a meditative state, is now standing behind me, her hands clasped over her abdomen, staring at me with a vacant expression

I have a peculiar habit, such as casually littering on the street or, like now, not giving up my seat for the elderly. I always feel that the people around me are watching me and pointing fingers at me in their minds. I wonder if this could be considered a form of paranoia.

To be honest, although I have worked in this city for over a year, the only person I can truly consider a friend is Lin Tian. We have known each other since childhood, so I am quite worried that if he finds out about the series of ghostly encounters I have had, he might think of me as unclean, just like his mother does, and distance himself from me.

As I looked up, she slowly raised her face and gave me a faint smile

Is it possible that encountering these terrifying events from hetushu.com over the past couple of days is all directed at me

Little did I know that the old woman showed no reaction, as if she could not hear my voice. The few young people standing beside her looked at me with confusion, which made me feel somewhat embarrassed

I stood by the door, tightly gripping the handrail, not daring to breathe a word. My eyes were fixed on the reflection in the glass. After a long while, I glanced sideways at the elderly person beside me. Seeing her equally motionless, not looking at me, she seemed to be in a state of meditation.

I told you to wait. Then I hung up the phone, checked the time, and realized I had slept the entire day. There were more than ten missed calls on my phone, all from a colleague at the company.

As soon as I entered the door, I felt completely drained. Although it was not as dangerous as the first time I encountered Lin Tian and the paper figure while hitchhiking, the series of shocks had pushed my mental state to its limit. If there were to be another one, I estimate I would have no choice but to lie on the ground and wait for death.

Lin Tian chuckled and said, "My mother asked me to come."

Hearing him say this, I felt a bit embarrassed, perhaps because I had been constantly scolded by Lin Tian's mother for being unlucky. After so many times, I naturally began to feel that it was my problem.

My limited sense of justice suddenly surged, and I scolded, "What are you doing? I reserved this seat for the elderly!"

I kept looking back, and when I saw no trace of the old woman, I finally let out a sigh of relief

I estimate that this is the most strenuous thing I have done in over twenty years of my life. During high school, after running 3,000 meters, I felt I was close to death, but this time I clearly surpassed my previous speed and endurance. Indeed, a person can unleash their potential at the brink of life and death, even if this is merely a threshold I have defined for myself.

The vehicle moved steadily forward, stopping and starting intermittently, with a few passengers getting on and off at times. There is one more stop, and then it will be near my home

I usually do not have much knowledge about these peculiar matters. Now, I am completely resorting to desperate measures, using all the available methods at my disposal.