Chapter 004

The person who came was a man about my age, wearing a white T-shirt and looking somewhat drowsy. He glanced at me and noticed the jar in my hand. Suddenly, he said, "If I were you, I wouldn't touch those things"

He said that the scent is something ordinary people cannot detect; it is specifically used to repel ghosts. If you find it uncomfortable, it indicates that you have an excessive amount of negative energy, to the extent that ghosts might mistake you for one of their own

This is a business card, still handwritten. It bears his name and phone number; it turns out this person is named Ding Ding. Above the name, there is a rather impressive title written: Master Exorcist.

Hearing Lin Tian say this, I actually felt some sympathy for the plight of Mrs. Jiu. I sighed, considering that for a blind person and a cripple, reaching this point in life must not have been easy

He also said, of course it does not refer to appearance, it is merely a similar term used to describe people like you. You are simply born to attract ghosts, wherever you go you encounter them

I shot him a glance, but still handed him a cigarette, and lit one for myself.

As soon as I heard the voice, I recognized that the speaker was Lin Tian's mother, and I mentally prepared myself to be reprimanded

But when I heard him say he wanted to see my words, I felt like a monkey in a zoo, inexplicably gloomy. I straightened my face and asked him, "What have you seen?"

Then, he suddenly took out a piece of white cardstock from his pocket and handed it to me. When I looked at it, I was instantly at a loss whether to laugh or cry

As expected, when the door opened, his mother was standing in the room. Upon seeing the two of us, she hurriedly asked Lin Tian, "Why did you take so long? I was so worried! If it weren't for Mrs. Jiu saying it was okay for you to go alone, I wouldn't have felt at ease letting you go with him!"

Madam Jiu slowly raised her hand, suddenly pointed at me, and said, "You go out"

I did not understand the picture book, so I asked again, what am I

Both Lin Tian and I were taken aback, and even Lin Tian's mother was the same, swallowing the words she had yet to finish saying

Although I have never interacted with these superstitious individuals, it is often portrayed on television that they first label you with a stigma, speaking in various mysterious terms. Once you become fearful, they will tell you how to act in order to alleviate your troubles, with the sole purpose of making money

I sat on the threshold by the door, idly doing nothing. Turning my head for a glance, I discovered several small clay jars placed against the wall, each about the size of a fist, all sealed with red paper. They were densely packed together, numbering around twenty.

I recall that rich scent that is almost nauseating, could there be some knowledge behind it

Lin Tian immediately said, "Where? That man of Mrs. Jiu has been gone for three years! She was not blind originally; after her husband died, she fell seriously ill, and after recovering, she could no longer see. Others said it was because she had revealed too many secrets of fate while helping others avert disasters, and that Heaven was punishing her. However, since then, she has been safe and has not encountered any strange occurrences."

I silently scoffed, choosing not to expose him, simply wanting to see what tricks he would play next

My face stiffened; seeing that he did not appear to be joking, I could no longer smile.

Having finished speaking, he beckoned Lin Tian and me to step forward

I ignored him and walked out of the room on my own

Lin Tian knocked on the door, and after a short while, someone inside shouted, "Coming, coming"

I once thought that places where people like Mrs. Jiu reside would be immediately recognizable at a glance as being different from others. Perhaps there are some talismanic objects hanging by the door, or the walls are covered with yellow paper charms, and there is always incense burning in front of the door

He extinguished the cigarette butt on the ground and said, "Don't you believe it? As soon as you entered my house, didn't you notice the smell?"

Lin Tian, fearing that I would be embarrassed, hurriedly said, "Mom, don't make a fuss, it's nothing."

However, there is not a single one of these; in fact, if Lin Tian had not mentioned it, I would not have been able to tell that this is a wealthy family. It seems that Madame Jiu conducts her affairs with great discretion

I glanced at Lin Tian, and he seemed indifferent to the smell, just like before

Such talk about being born to attract ghosts is quite exaggerated. I have lived safely for over 20 years, and it is only recently that I have encountered these unfortunate events

I got out of the car and stood outside the house. This house is exceedingly ordinary, completely different from what I had imagined before.

This finger is perfectly aligned, directly pointing at me

He took another puff of his cigarette and explained that it was like the kind of banner used in ghost stories to summon spirits; when waved in hand, the ghosts would come.

He said again, this matter is quite difficult to handle. My mother is getting older and does not want to get involved in major issues. She only takes on small matters that can be easily resolved.

In order to make a living, Mrs. Jiu began to engage in the practice of fortune-telling and disaster alleviation. Unexpectedly, her predictions about those strange and unusual matters turned out to be remarkably accurate, leading to a gradual improvement in her business and an increase in her reputation

I turned my head and walked away in anger, but Lin Tian hurriedly pulled me back and said, "Don't be angry!"

The scent is quite strong, making it somewhat difficult for me to breathe. After inhaling it for a while, I even feel a bit dizzy, as if someone has pressed my head into an incense burner, which is somewhat nauseating.

I reflected on the situation when I entered the house; Lin Tian and his mother indeed had no reaction, but I smelled that odor, and it truly made me feel somewhat dizzy and disoriented

Lin Tian said, my mother just casually told me that she is the ninth child in her family, but since she was young, she has had a special ability to see ghosts. Everyone thought she was strange, so they distanced themselves from her. At the age of forty, she still hadn't married. Later, she finally found a man with a limp, but in that era, such people generally had little to offer.

I am puzzled; in what way do I resemble that kind of thing!

However, I also feel that this is just a trick to deceive me, perhaps simply because I cannot tolerate that smell

Seeing that his mother did not make things too difficult, I let out a sigh of relief and followed Lin Tian inside

He let out a sound and said, "You are the Yin Banner"

On the other side of the sofa sat an elderly woman with graying hair, neatly styled. She appeared quite spirited. Lin Tian's mother graciously took a seat beside her, and I recognized her as the rumored Mrs. Jiu.

Lin Tianli felt guilty and immediately softened his attitude, saying, "You wait outside for a moment, and I will talk to you after I clarify what the matter is"

I thought to myself that this was exactly what I had in mind; the matter was too significant and difficult to handle. However, there would certainly be a solution in the end, albeit at a considerable cost, and then it would be time to start asking for money

Until now, you know that many somewhat wealthy individuals still believe in these supernatural beings and spirits. Just look at my mother for instance. They seek a sense of peace of mind, regardless of how much money they have. This woman has gradually become quite affluent, which is why others refer to her as 'madam'

We entered the living room and found the arrangement of furniture to be exceptionally elegant. Unlike an ordinary household, there were very few modern furnishings, such as televisions. In the eastern part of the room stood a Buddhist altar, where a smiling Maitreya Buddha was enshrined

This clay jar feels cold to the touch, smooth and slippery, with numerous water stains on it, as if marked by dew that has dried in the morning and evening winds. It feels light in my hand, and I shook it gently, but could not hear any sound from within. Curiosity piqued, I wanted to peel back the red paper on top to take a look.

I do not know where I have offended these two individuals. They asked me to come, and I came. Yet, as soon as I arrived, they asked me to leave. Since they cannot stand my presence, why waste time on me

Lin Tian's mother took her hand and said with a smile, "Mrs. Jiu, my son and his friends have arrived. Could you take a look?"

I thought he might just be the grandson of Mrs. Jiu, and it is never good to mess with other people's belongings. I pouted and casually put the jar back in its place

I closed my mouth, feeling that the story of Mrs. Jiu could completely be adapted into a history of feudal women's struggles. Although the process was somewhat tragic, at least her later years were relatively prosperous

I looked up and realized that we had already arrived at the outskirts of the city. Surrounding us were low, small houses, and only a quaint little cottage had a car parked in front of it. Lin Tian said that was the home of Mrs. Jiu.

He sat down, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled the smoke. He smiled again and said, "I heard my mom kicking you out of the house, so I came out to see what kind of person you really are, to make my mom so scared."

I hurriedly changed the subject and asked if you know what kind of person Mrs. Jiu is

It was only then that I realized I had misjudged the situation. I originally thought he was the grandson of the Ninth Madam, but upon reflecting on what Lin Tian said, the Ninth Madam married in her forties and is now likely in her sixties, so her son should be around my age.

You go out

Lin Tianyang lifted his chin and said, "We have arrived; this is Mrs. Jiu's home. My mother and the others arrived early."

At that moment, the door suddenly opened, and I thought it was Lin Tian coming out, but when I turned to look, I realized it was not.

The person walked up to me, noticed the cigarettes beside me, smiled, and said, "I'm quite thirsty, could you give me one as well?"

His mother glared at me and said, "Come in quickly, Mrs. Jiu is waiting for you."

Yin Banner

Who would have thought this fellow would not play by the rules? What should we do? Just wait to die

Seeing that I did not speak, he said again, "From your reaction, I understand; I was not wrong in what I said"

I shook off his hand and said, "If it were you, wouldn't you be angry?"

Madam Jiu saw that I was not moving and raised her voice to shout again. Her frail body began to tremble, as if she were eager to stand up and drive me out.

I smiled slyly and directly asked him, so what do you think I should do

On the red paper, there are also quite a few chaotic patterns that one would not notice without careful observation. I suddenly became interested and picked one up to play with in my hand

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became, so I simply sat outside the door and lit a cigarette. Smoking truly is a remedy for sorrow and boredom; after taking a few puffs, I felt somewhat better inside.

As soon as I stepped outside and inhaled the air, the rich fragrance was no longer present, and I immediately felt much better.

I took a careful glance at her and saw that Mrs. Jiu was staring with her eyes wide open, but her pupils were white, which looked somewhat frightening at first glance. I wondered what kind of eye disease she might have suffered from.

To be honest, it is impossible not to feel angry when treated this way. But just as Lin Tian said, if it weren't for encountering a ghost, and if I didn't need something from others now, I would absolutely not bother to engage with someone like Madam Jiu.

As soon as I entered the room, I was greeted by a fragrant aroma, reminiscent of the incense found in temples

Lin Tian's mother, seeing Mrs. Jiu getting agitated, hurriedly scolded, "Mrs. Jiu has asked you to leave, did you hear that!"

Lin Tian and I exchanged a glance, both of us somewhat doubting whether Mrs. Jiu was truly blind or if she was feigning blindness to elicit sympathy and deceive others.

I think this person's path is quite similar to those portrayed on television

Who would have thought that Mrs. Jiu suddenly pulled her hand away from Lin Tian's mother, her wrinkled face tightly contorted, and shouted, "Don't come over!"