Chapter 7: There Really Is Something Inside

Seeing me standing there, clearly having overheard the conversation just now, Tan Xiao reappeared in front of me. "Zhang Xiaobei, do you need my help? I could teach her a lesson. She’s so annoying."

"No need!" I replied, preparing to head home.

But after taking just a couple of steps, I stopped and looked back at Tan Xiao, speaking to her quite seriously. "By the way, if you’re going to keep following me, you might hear things like that again. So don’t always threaten to scare them. If something really happens, and I’ve just come back, everyone will think it’s because of me, understand?"

"I understand, but the way they talk about you..."

"Let them talk. It doesn’t hurt. Anyway, I’m home now. You can speak to me, but I won’t answer!" With that, I turned towards the doorway.

The door was only half-shut, so I pushed it open to go in. The instant the door swung wide, a chilling, sinister air rushed out from inside.

This is summer, and since we made some money a few years ago, the house is brick-built, with people living here every day—how could there be such a cold, eerie smell?

"Zhang Xiaobei, why does your house feel devoid of any human presence? And I think I smell one of my kind," Tan Xiao said, glancing around as she entered.

Her words sent a jolt through me, and I rushed in, calling out, "Dad! Mom!"

"Is that Xiaobei home?" My mother emerged from the woodshed, wiping her hands.

"Mom, what were you doing in there?" I hurriedly set down my luggage and ran over.

Seeing her, I felt a surge of relief, but still asked anxiously, "Mom, where’s Dad?"

"Your dad’s out in the fields and hasn’t come back yet. But, son, why didn’t you call ahead before coming home? I haven’t prepared anything special for dinner." She took my hand as she spoke.

"It’s fine, we can just eat whatever. Actually, I need to ask you and Dad something later." I looked around, but saw nothing of Tan Xiao’s supposed kind.

But where was Tan Xiao? She’d come in just now, but suddenly she was nowhere to be seen. Oh well, not worth worrying about her.

"Son, what are you looking for? And what did you want to ask?" my mother asked curiously.

"I’ll tell you later, Mom. Go start dinner, I’m going to call Dad back from the fields." I turned and ran outside.

Just as I stepped out, Tan Xiao appeared again, startling me.

"What is it?" I asked quietly, exasperated.

"Zhang Xiaobei, your mother has something on her. And it’s powerful—when she came out just now, I felt an overwhelming pressure. I couldn’t stay inside," Tan Xiao said, her tone grave.

I looked back at the house, and indeed felt something was off, though I couldn’t pinpoint what.

Worried that someone might see us talking here, I signaled to her to wait until later.

Leaving the yard, I headed towards the fields. Not seeing anyone else around, I asked Tan Xiao, "Do you know what’s on my mother?"

"I don’t. I couldn’t get close enough, but I sensed it’s draining her life," she replied.

Hearing this, I immediately recalled the words: I need to live past twenty; that means I’m borrowing my parents’ lives to survive.

But now I’m a Yang Messenger, able to work for the underworld in exchange for extra life—how could this still happen?

It was all too complicated. And that Eyeless One never explained anything properly before leaving, didn’t even leave a phone number.

***

"Xiaobei?" I was racking my brain when someone called my name. Turning, I saw my father had returned.

I hurried over. "Dad, I was just about to look for you!"

"Why did you come back so suddenly? Didn’t say anything beforehand," he said, echoing my mother’s words.

"I just felt it’s been too long since I saw you both, so I wanted to come home," I replied, glancing back at Tan Xiao, who was standing far off, as if she didn’t dare approach.

I looked at my father, noticing something hanging around his neck—a black cord, but I couldn’t see what it held.

Curious, I asked, "Dad, what’s that on your neck?" I reached to take a look.

But as my hand stretched out, he stepped back two paces. "Nothing, just a piece of jade."

"Jade? Can I see it?" I asked again.

"There’s nothing to see. Let’s go home, your mother must be cooking already," he said, turning to head back.

Watching his retreating back, I thought he looked much older now. Once he had gone a little farther, Tan Xiao appeared again beside me. "Your father has something on him too," she said.

"Must be that thing hanging from his neck," I replied.

Men like my father, from the countryside, aren’t used to wearing such things.

"Probably. I didn’t dare get close," Tan Xiao said, watching my father’s distant figure.

Back home, my mother was already cooking. Seeing my father with something on his neck, I tried to sneak a look at my mother to see if she wore anything similar.

But her clothes covered her neck, so I couldn’t tell. Still, since I had returned, I was determined to get to the bottom of all this.

I sat by the stove to help with the fire, while my mother fried vegetables. Soon dinner would be ready.

Thinking of how my father used to enjoy a drink after a day’s work, I offered to go buy some wine.

But my father said there was no need—he’d quit drinking.

Seeing him like this was odd. He’d always loved his drink.

"Xiaobei, sit down and eat," my mother said, noticing how I stared at my father. She didn’t comment, just told me to sit.

Already feeling uneasy, the silence during dinner made it worse. None of us spoke, and my parents’ appetites were much smaller than before. I finished two bowls, while they barely touched theirs, leaving more than half uneaten.

Unable to hold back, I asked, "Dad, Mom, what’s going on? Tell me the truth!"

"Nothing, just eat and get some rest," my father replied.

Their behavior felt so wrong, but they wouldn’t talk, and I didn’t want to force them. Still, now that I was home, I was determined to find the cause.

After dinner, dusk began to settle. I wandered around the yard, not deliberately approaching the cowshed, but something caught my attention.

Our family doesn’t raise cattle, so the cowshed is usually empty, used for storing firewood at best. If it’s just for storage, why bother renovating it?

***

That meant something more was inside. I wanted to ask Tan Xiao to check it out for me, but she wasn’t there—nowhere to be found.

Returning indoors, I saw my parents sitting in the dark watching TV, neither speaking nor turning on the lights. It felt as if I’d stepped into a horror film.

"Mom, what are you watching?" I took a deep breath and went over.

She didn’t respond, so I tapped her. She jumped, startled, then turned to me. "Xiaobei, go to bed early. Tonight is Ghost Festival; it’s not clean outside. If you hear anything, don’t make a sound."

My father stood up as well, pushing me towards my room. "Your mother’s right. Get some rest. You must be tired after a long journey."

"But it’s barely eight o’clock, and I haven’t washed up!" I protested, trying to resist.

Yet his grip was so strong—it didn’t feel like his strength at all.

Unable to struggle free, I stayed in my room.

Now that my parents were outside, Tan Xiao appeared again.

I was relieved to see her, and whispered, "Can you help me check what’s in the cowshed by the yard?"

"I can’t. I tried, but couldn’t get in. Just approaching it hit me with a powerful force—if I hadn’t fled quickly, I might not be here now." Tan Xiao sat on my bed, far less composed than before.

"How is that possible? What could it be?" I wanted to ask my parents, but when I tried the door, I found it locked from outside.

"What’s this about? Dad? Mom? Are you out there?" I called, frightened by how strange everything felt.

No answer from outside—were they even there?

"Zhang Xiaobei, come here!" Tan Xiao called from the window.

I went over and saw my parents at the edge of the yard, unlocking the cowshed.

In that instant, a wave of black mist enveloped the shed, sending Tan Xiao scurrying away in fear, covering her mouth.

Seeing even a ghost so terrified filled me with dread, but I forced myself to watch, determined to find out what was inside.

It was too dark to see, and from this distance, I could only guess. But there was definitely something wrong inside, just as I’d heard—there was something in there.

After my parents entered and closed the door, the black mist dissipated instantly. I turned to Tan Xiao. "Did you see what was inside?"

She shook her head, her face still marked by fear. Honestly, if even a ghost was this scared, I couldn’t imagine what might be inside.

If it were something good, it wouldn’t be shrouded in black mist—things touched by the divine are enveloped in golden light or white vapor, not darkness.

I leaned by the window, wondering when my parents would come out.

Just then, Tan Xiao said, "Zhang Xiaobei, forget about them for now. Go to sleep. Tonight is Ghost Festival. A judge will come looking for you later."