.When we arrived, Yin Cha Da Bao immediately grabbed a bag of paper money and went to a secluded corner to perform an offering to the Earth God to get information. My brother whispered to me, "That ol...When we left the Haiyan Building, Zhong Shu's younger brother respectfully handed over the keys. My brother held the keys and weighed them, raising an eyebrow and smiling: "Zhong Shu, what do you mean by this"
The car keys in his hand weren't those of our old used SUV, but a brand new Range Rover.
"You're going to Shiquan Gou New Village and then to the construction site to help me check the feng shui. Back and forth will be too tiring, so I'll give you a ride as a token of my appreciation." Zhong Shu smiled like an old fox.
"Such an expensive car is just a token of my appreciation I secretly shook my head at my brother, signaling him not to accept it."
But men are born to love cars, my brother excitedly said: "Okay, I'll borrow it and drive it for a few days."
"Why are you taking his gift" I muttered. "You know what they say, 'Eat someone's food and you owe them a favor'... We can just buy our own car if we want one, we're not broke."
"We have some money, but what are we going to use it for Dad doesn't know how much more money he'll need, so we can't spend it randomly. You said our old car is uncomfortable, so let's get a spacious one that's more comfortable for you. After this period, just return the car. We don't care about keeping it."
I nodded, my brother reached out and rubbed my head, saying: "Little Qiao, don't always look so sad. Your ghost husband and our views are different, communication is impossible, just treat him as a scum ghost... waiting for the child to be formed before getting it out, it's very harmful to your body... Sigh... if I had known earlier, I would have gone to study obstetrics and gynecology."
I almost choked: "Dude, when you're talking about serious stuff, can you please stop being so damn funny all of a sudden My brain can't keep up! What are you thinking, studying gynecology Do you want to spend your days looking at women with their legs open! You pervert!"
Following Zhong Shu's photos and address, we went to Shiquan溝 Village at the border of two provinces. The residents here are mostly migrants from nearby areas, many displaced by national infrastructure projects like road construction and reservoir building. The large number of relocated residents has turned the village into a town-like settlement.
All the apartment buildings were uniformly planned, making it easy to get lost. It was almost dark when I finally found Old Chen's place by following the address.
There were lights in the courtyard. My brother went downstairs and knocked on the door, rang the doorbell, but it took quite a while for a woman's voice to respond: "Stop yelling! You're waking everyone up! No one is home!"
My brother shouted at the door: “Aren't you a human Open the door, I just have two questions for you and then I’ll leave! Don’t blame me if I get rough.”
The small window on the anti-theft door swung open, and a middle-aged woman in her forties angrily shouted: "Are you tired of coming to my door every day! I told you that deadbeat didn't come home! Don't bother me old lady anymore! My body is not feeling well these two days, if anyone bothers me again, be careful, I'll die with you!"
My brother flinched, it was rare to see him lose his cool. He took two steps back and asked, "We're not here to collect debts, we have a small sum of money we want to work with Old Man Chen, is he around Don't miss out on the chance to get rich!"
The shrew's tone softened a bit: "No, he hasn't come back! He's been gone for over a month! His phone is also unreachable. Who knows if the old man has taken up with another woman outside Scram! I'm so annoyed!"
My brother snuck back into the car. I laughed, a little smugly: "Did you run into some trouble Even you can get taken advantage of sometimes!"
He shook his head mysteriously and said, “There’s something in this house! It’s very heavy with negative energy! There must be a talisman pasted on the door to block it, but now that we opened this small window, some of it has leaked out!”
I quickly took out my compass. The needle trembled slightly; the yin energy here was blocked. I got out of the car and looked over. The neighboring house must be under renovation, with some scaffolding erected outside the walls.
"I'll go take a look." I clutched the compass and climbed onto the scaffolding.
My brother was supporting me below, whispering: "Be careful! You're holding a ball!"
From the second level of the scaffolding, you could see the furnishings in the courtyard. It was an ordinary farmhouse courtyard, with bicycles, scrap wood, broken sofas... a jumble of things piled up. There was a dark object in a corner of the yard.
At first glance, I felt the problem was here. This pitch-black thing emanated a cold and gloomy aura, seeping out in wisps.
Behind the gate and at the corners of the walls, there are talismans pasted everywhere. I don't know how long these talismans can hold back these evil spirits.
"Brother, the problem is with that dark thing," I whispered as I came down. "This woman said she's been feeling unwell these days, and I guess it has something to do with this thing. Old Chen must know this thing is problematic, that's why he put talismans on the door to keep the negative energy from leaving the yard."
My brother rubbed his hands together and said, “Okay, let’s go eat first. We can come back later and I'll show you what our school basketball team can do!”
In the middle of the village was a rather rustic "commercial square". When we got off the bus, an old man was squatting by the roadside with a cardboard box beside him.
This thin, elderly man had greasy hair and dry lips holding a cigarette. He was bragging to a fellow smoker beside him. A paper board in front of him read: Fortune Telling by Palmistry and Physiognomy, Eight Character Calculation, Divination for Good or Bad Luck.
Besides these characters, the corners also read: Inherited secret chicken eye massage, treats hair loss and graying, phone screen protector, unclogging drains, one-minute lock opening, private investigator, parking lot valet, homework writing.
I had a black line on my face. My brother walked over and asked me, “What are you looking at Are you interested in these swindlers”
I helplessly said to my brother, "I'm interested in him, you see, besides his hairstyle, what's the difference between him and Old Chen They both look so disheveled..."
As soon as I spoke, the quack immediately looked at us warily. My brother took one look at him—it was indeed that old man Chen who had taken the money and vanished! He tossed his cigarette, turned around, and ran!
"Damn it! Stop!" My brother rushed over and grabbed Chen's collar.
"Spare me, young hero! Spare me!" Old Man Chen immediately cried out, "I only had a free meal from you, do you have to be rough with an old man I'm really broke! Just pity a poor old man…"
As soon as he yelled, several people surrounded him. What a crafty old man!
I walked up and whispered, "Shut up! I saw what you have in the yard! You don't even dare to go home, do you Your wife thinks you're keeping a mistress outside. Go back and explain it to her."
Chen Lao immediately shut his mouth and looked at us with panicked eyes.
He was stuffed into the back seat by my brother, the car door locked. He whispered, "Two young heroes, were you sent by Mr. Zhong to collect the debt That...the money is hidden under a piece of ebony wood in my courtyard. You can just take it yourselves... Just please don't wake up my wife, I'm very afraid of her."
I and my brother looked at each other, understanding most of it – why the two groups sent to collect debts hadn't returned. It was probably because they had encountered something inside that ebony box and couldn't come back!
>ble to escape… Besides, most of the scenery outside has already melted away. Before dawn, our presence shouldn’t be leaked.”In the stifling darkness, no one answered him. I could see nothing, only a...