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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 005: The Woman Who Hanged Herself
In Peng Hai's bedroom, an old computer sat on the desk. He was focused, his fingers deftly and rapidly tapping the keys, producing a rhythmic clicking sound. When he saw me enter, his expression changed; he jumped up in alarm, his eyes darting nervously towards his father, mouth opening as if to speak but no words came out.
"Tonight we keep vigil; the bed is empty. The master is resting in this room, so stop playing games," Peng Caifu said.
"Oh." The response was reluctant, filled with disdain and contempt, along with something else.
"The master will be here tonight; it’s hard on you." Hearing Peng Caifu's words made me suspect that he might have been the one who punctured the tires of that car.
I focused my breath and stared intently at him, peering into the depths of his heart. Behind his hunched figure, in the shadows, it seemed as if an invisible "ghost" clung to him. The "ghost" whispered in his ear: "Find a way to keep him here; that way you won’t have to worry about Deadbeat coming after you."
Suddenly jolted awake as if from another world, I noticed that Peng Caifu had turned and left. Peng Hai regarded my presence with suspicion, maintaining a calm demeanor. He didn’t immediately follow his father's orders and continued to immerse himself in his game.
Upon closer inspection, I realized he was playing a game I hadn’t tried yet.
"Da, the domestic server isn’t open yet, but I’ve watched quite a few videos."
"This one isn’t great; many heroes have been altered significantly. For example, the Void's false face that used to make many lovesick girls swoon has been changed."
"Not necessarily, but once you accept this kind of setting, it can still feel pretty engaging—just like how many people have forgotten what the original version of the forum was like." Seeing my interest in the game, Peng Hai began discussing it with me freely.
"Have you played Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne?" A smug smile spread across his face; even the acne that crowded his cheeks seemed less glaring than before. Just as he was about to delve deeper into our gaming discussion, the door burst open with a loud bang, and in rushed Peng Yan, pale and flustered.
"Ghost... there really is a ghost... Mom... she—she's in my room." No one knows what strategy a mother employs to handle all those countless trivial matters while raising her children, but this mother had passed away.
To others, she had found her release.
Because she had suffered greatly from illness in her lifetime, her death was a release.
However, a living person, who had been tortured by pain until they lost their humanity, stubbornly continued to exist in the eyes of others, only to suddenly die.
People's imaginations would conjure many memories of the deceased's life, especially that of an imaginative girl, a descendant of humanity, who would possess human thoughts. I do not know what she thought deep down or how she viewed her mother's death.
In any case, there must have been a profound impression left in her heart by her mother’s hard work in raising her.
Perhaps after her mother Hanging by a Beam, she lived in a space filled with ghosts, and those ghosts were not the Evil Spirit from horror films but rather her own mother. Her mother no longer had a straight spine but instead appeared as a frail woman with a pale face, a crooked Neck, and a purple tongue protruding from her mouth. A long rope trailed from her Neck as she approached step by step.
The sound of shuffling footsteps—Peng Yan was terrified.
In her room, shoes that had clearly been placed beside her mother’s body in the mourning hall inexplicably appeared by her bedside.
This was not a fairy tale; shoes do not walk on their own.
It was haunted!
“Did you see her?” I asked, wanting to laugh but unable to.
Peng Hai was tense, swallowing hard and remaining silent.
Peng Caifu was flustered and at a loss.
Peng Yan nodded and shook her head: “I didn’t see the shoes before; I only heard the shuffling footsteps and then suddenly saw the shoes here.” Her voice trembled, her whole body shook, and her eyes were filled with fear.
Deep within her heart lurked a cowardly yet arrogant, selfish, narrow-minded, jealous, lazy, and foolish “ghost” murmuring something.
Peng Yan's eyes changed, filled with a plea for help, confusion, and something else that felt unreal.
"Could it be that you brought the shoes in yourself?" I asked in a low voice.
"Ah... don't scare me..." Peng Yan jumped as if someone had stepped on her tail, nervously darting behind me, clutching my clothes tightly as she trembled all over.
"Don't be afraid. I'll take the shoes outside and tell your mother not to come see you." I avoided her gaze and walked over seriously, bending down to pick up the shoes. As I passed by Peng Yan, she turned her head away, too scared to even look at the shoes.
I whispered, "Guilty conscience causing nightmares," placing the shoes back where they belonged. I clasped my hands together in prayer, thinking: Don't be alarmed; give me some face and don't frighten your family.
When it was time for the vigil, this incident with Peng Yan occurred.
It was supposed to be her brother Peng Hai's turn to keep vigil, but unexpectedly he stubbornly stayed inside, refusing to go alone.
I handed him a red envelope.
He declined, saying, "Master, I don't want this red envelope. How about you accompany me?"
Really!
At his age, he still needed me to accompany him for the vigil? Seeing that Peng Caifu hadn't rested yet, I called out to him, "Uncle, come here for a moment."
Peng Caifu's bloodshot eyes widened in surprise.
"Uncle, the guiding lantern cannot be extinguished, and no one can leave the spirit hall. If any stray cats or dogs come in, it would be disastrous; you know the consequences of disturbing the dead."
"Yes..." Peng Caifu glared at Peng Hai angrily and said, "You are not allowed to doze off. Keep your eyes on the guiding lantern and make sure that the offerings aren't taken away by stray dogs."
Peng Hai was furious, throwing his hands up as he stormed off, leaving behind a parting shot: "She is your wife; you should be the one keeping vigil."
"You... you unfilial son!"
"I'm unfilial? Look at how you treated my mother. How did she end up hanging by a beam? You tell Master Ma yourself."
It seemed there was more to this than met the eye.
I observed Peng Caifu without revealing my thoughts.
Peng Caifu, feeling guilty, scoffed and cursed, "Get lost, you unfilial brat! How did I end up with such a worthless child like you?"
Initially, it had been the two siblings arguing in front of the deceased; now it was the two fathers squabbling before the body.
This family was going mad.
I said in a low voice, "If you keep arguing like this, the deceased might just rise up to mediate."
This tactic worked; Peng Caifu and Peng Hai both fell silent—one went to the mourning hall while the other stormed off toward the courtyard.
Where could Peng Caifu possibly go at this hour?
Sigh! I couldn't take it anymore; I needed to rest.
Leaving Peng Hai behind, I headed into the room.
Lying on the bed, I laid my bag flat and pulled out a rope—
The ears were still working, able to hear the creaking sound of a door outside, followed by voices discussing how to play with three missing in Mahjong. It seemed that Peng Caifu had gone out to find someone to keep Peng Hai company during the vigil.
Looking at the time, there were still five hours until dawn.
The night was heavy, and the dark sky obscured whether it was fog or something else—
Creeping up quietly, standing in the shadows, the view allowed a complete look at the courtyard below; it felt good.
The Pang Family Courtyard was brightly lit, with the sounds of Mahjong tiles clattering and boisterous banter about love and lust echoing through the air, followed by exaggerated laughter. The wind carried the whimpering of dogs and distant cat calls.
Tonight felt a bit unusual, as if an unwilling ghost lingered in the Pang Family Courtyard, reluctant to depart.
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