Zhu Linya hesitated, then said, “You know, your third uncle has always been unruly. Recently, he’s been going out often without telling me where. This has happened more than once or twice, and I was worried, so I hired someone to follow him.”
Luo Yingbai recalled Xia Changwei’s appearance and found no signs of romantic entanglement, so he just responded with an “Oh.”
Zhu Linya continued, “Later, the private detective informed me that he was indeed secretly meeting a young woman. So I asked for the address and went there while Xia Changwei was at home, wanting to see her for myself.”
According to the private detective’s investigation, the young woman was named Lou Miao, living in a remote area at the edge of the city in a tube-like building. When Zhu Linya received the address, she was surprised and asked for Lou Miao’s photo, deciding to investigate personally.
“The place was dirty and messy, with extremely narrow roads.
My car could only go halfway, so I had to get out and walk. As soon as I entered their building’s corridor, I felt something was off.
Although surrounded by people, Zhu Linya felt a chill while recalling the incident. She downed her red wine and continued, “The corridor was gloomy and narrow, with no motion-sensor lights. Their apartment was on the top floor. As I climbed up, I passed several people going up and down. When they passed me, they were rolling their eyes, looking at me with their white eyes, not greeting me – it felt extremely abnormal.”
“I didn’t think much of it then, just thought the people here were poor and uneducated, so I ignored them. When I reached Lou Miao’s door, I saw it was slightly ajar. I knocked several times with no response, and the door opened by itself. Then…”
Her voice trembled, her eyes wide with terror, unable to continue.
Luo Yingbai poured her another glass of wine. Zhu Linya drank it quickly to gather courage and continued, “I found a dead body lying inside!”
Luo Yingbai had basically guessed the ending, but Zhu Linya had a talent for storytelling. He quickly asked, “And then? Was it definitely Lou Miao?”
She said, “Definitely. She was face down. I saw it clearly.”
There was a large bloody hole on her head, her eyes wide open and motionless – definitely dead, not unconscious! I called her twice with no response and was so scared I ran away.”
Luo Yingbai asked, “Didn’t you call 120 or 110?”
Zhu Linya said, “Listen to me! I… I was terrified and ran down the stairs. Just as I was about to exit the building, a little girl suddenly walked towards me. She was also rolling her eyes, looking at me from bottom to top, and said…”
Zhu Linya’s fingers curled nervously, her voice trembling: “She said – Auntie, the sister behind you, her head is bleeding!”
At this moment, a hand silently landed on Luo Yingbai’s shoulder: “Mas-“
Luo Yingbai: “Ahhh!” Zhu Linya: “Ahhhhh!” Xia Jian’ning: “…”
He quickly pressed his hand on the sofa back, stabilizing himself and preventing Luo Yingbai from being thrown by a shoulder throw. Xia Jian’ning grabbed Luo Yingbai’s mouth like a duck and sat down next to him.
Luo Yingbai slapped his hand away, still in shock: “Oh, it’s Jian’ning…”
Xia Jian’ning put his arm around his shoulder and raised an eyebrow: “Who else did you think it was?”
Luo Yingbai felt secure in his embrace and sighed: “I was so scared just now. I thought a ghost was haunting us.”
Luo Yingbai said, “Don’t look at me like that. This was an emotional buildup, a cry from the depths of feeling. Anyway, why aren’t you helping to entertain guests? Why did you come back?”
Xia Jian’ning shrugged and said, “Xia Zheng was glaring at me over there, looking annoying, so I left.”
Zhu Linya: “…”
The fact that she was a woman and Luo Yingbai was a man, yet he was the one being comforted while she sat there helplessly, was already painful enough. Now she had to listen to someone criticizing her son.
Zhu Linya said: “Summer Zheng has been spoiled by me. Xian Ning, as his older brother, don’t stoop to his level. I’ll discipline him later.”
Summer Xian Ning glanced at Luo Mingbai, as if asking what they had discussed.
Luo Mingbai smiled and said: “We discussed some small matters. It depends on whether Third Aunt is willing to let you hear about it.”
Seeing his intention to keep her secret, Zhu Linya felt satisfied. But then she thought that since they were so close, and Summer Xian Ning was known for being taciturn, and she had already told Luo Mingbai, it wouldn’t hurt to tell Summer Xian Ning about encountering the female ghost.
More importantly, she wanted to test whether Luo Mingbai’s words were true.
Zhu Linya said: “Why hide it from Xian Ning? I seem to have encountered something unclean a few days ago and was discussing it with Young Master Luo. He even asked me if he helps solve this matter, could I put in a good word with Director Luo to not stop him from being with his girlfriend.”
Summer Xian Ning immediately looked at Luo Mingbai: “Girlfriend?”
Luo Mingbai knew Zhu Linya wanted to test his earlier excuse. Staring at Summer Xian Ning, he stiffly said: “Yes, that… your sister-in-law…”
Zhu Linya said: “I heard that girl works in a special profession, and she’s afraid Director Luo won’t approve. Didn’t your senior brother tell you?”
Luo Mingbai: “…”
By this point, Summer Xian Ning was certainly curious. He said to Luo Mingbai: “I know, it’s the one I’ve seen before. She’s nice and suits you well. Is your senior worried the teacher won’t approve?”
Luo Mingbai said: “Alas, whether he approves or not, I can’t help it. I like him.”
Summer Xian Ning laughed and said: “Don’t worry, he’ll definitely approve.”
Hearing their conversation, Zhu Linya finally believed Luo Mingbai’s words were true. Though she didn’t quite understand why Summer Xian Ning looked inexplicably happy, that wasn’t her main concern.
Feeling relieved, she continued to Luo Mingbai: “That little girl told me ‘the sister behind me has blood flowing from her head.’ When I heard that, I felt my whole body go numb, as if my heart stopped beating. My first reaction was that Lou Miao was standing behind me, but when I turned around, there was no one there. I was so scared I immediately left. But downstairs…”
Zhu Linya took a deep breath, suppressing her trembling voice: “At the corner, I found many wreaths. One wreath in the center had a photo – it was the little girl who just spoke to me!”
Seeing Zhu Linya hadn’t reported this or tried to take Lou Miao to the hospital, Summer Xian Ning and Luo Mingbai exchanged knowing glances. Luo Mingbai asked: “So what do you need me to do?”
Zhu Linya said: “I keep having nightmares. During the day, I’m dazed, always feeling like I can see her everywhere, but when I look closely, she’s gone. In my dreams, she often says she isn’t dead! Or that I killed her… I really didn’t! I can’t take it anymore. Can you find her ghost and completely eliminate her, so she’ll never bother me again?”
His tone was not very harsh, and the girl looked bewildered: “I didn’t say anything.”
“Didn’t say anything? How could Mom suddenly faint?” Cheng Guangchen half-squatted on the ground and looked up glaring at her: “Do you think we’re all fools! If you don’t explain clearly today, I’ll go to the police station and report you for malicious harm!”
Luo Yingbai said softly: “Why are Cheng Guangchen and Zhu Linya so close?”
Xia Xianning said: “Cheng Guangchen is Zhu Linya’s adopted daughter, taken from the orphanage when she was six years old, so their relationship is closer than that of Zhu Linya and Xia Zheng, who are biological mother and son.”
Luo Yingbai was very surprised, whispering: “So that’s how it is…”
