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Ye Chenfeng took Marin to University Road, hoping to use her to find Xiong Biao.
If he could locate Xiong Biao, he would fulfill the request of the departed soul. On their way to University Road, Marin shared some details about her relationship with Xiong Biao.
Because Xiong Biao had borrowed money for water, she was also implicated.
There is a saying that debts incurred by a father should be repaid by the son.
The water debt owed by Xiong Biao should have been settled by his father, Xiong Qisheng.
However, Xiong Qisheng died on the same day as his son, and this accumulating debt naturally fell onto Marin, who had already established a marital bond with Xiong Biao.
Moreover, they had even obtained a marriage certificate.
This was her leverage to try and bring Xiong Biao back onto the right path, but little did she know that one wrong step would lead to a series of missteps.
With Xiong Biao dead, Marin found herself in trouble.
The creditors relentlessly issued warnings and deadlines to her.
Left with no choice, she sought help from her family.
Her family had opposed her relationship with Xiong Biao from the start and were even less inclined to help this time. They kicked her out, telling her to fend for herself outside and never return home again.
Hearing Marin's story deeply shook Ye Chenfeng.
This is human nature—real human nature.
Is money really that important?
For the sake of money, familial bonds become insignificant; for money, one can drive their closest relatives out into the world as complete strangers.
University Road was unlike any other street.
It was eerily quiet, even in the height of summer, giving off a chill that felt out of place.
Ye Chenfeng remembered the first time he wandered down this way, accidentally stumbling into the Ghostly Maze, witnessing the terrifying sight of flames consuming all living things on the street. Now, as he looked around, there were hardly any pedestrians, and the few shops that remained open were nearly empty. Some had even closed down entirely, with their roll-up doors displaying a string of Arabic numerals indicating they were for rent.
Marin walked alongside Ye Chenfeng, observing their surroundings until they finally stopped in front of a fabric shop. She pointed to the tightly shut roll-up door of the neighboring establishment and said, "This used to be Xiong Biao's internet café."
Seeing them standing there talking, someone rushed out to ask, "Are you two looking to rent a shop?"
Marin explained, "No, we’re here to see an old friend."
Upon hearing that they weren't interested in renting, the person’s face fell in disappointment as he retreated.
Ye Chenfeng found it strange and stepped forward to inquire, "Why would a perfectly good shop be up for rent?"
The person he spoke to appeared to be in his twenties or thirties, sporting a buzz cut and wearing a leather jacket.
"Nothing much, just looking to change careers," he replied curtly, clearly unwilling to engage further with Ye Chenfeng or divulge the reasons for renting out the shop.
Marin smiled politely and stepped closer to ask, "May I ask what you used to do?"
"Student supplies."
"If I were to rent your shop and continue selling student supplies, would there still be business?"
"Are you two actually looking to rent? If you are, I can give you some details; if not, then stop wasting my time. I have things to do."
Seeing his impatience, Marin fell silent and exchanged a knowing glance with Ye Chenfeng; this guy was definitely difficult—unresponsive to both kindness and pressure.
Ye Chenfeng and Marin left the noodle shop and strolled down the street.
Today was cloudy, turning overcast.
There was no wind, and the entire sky was a dull white, resembling an expressionless face, giving off a suffocating feeling.
"Are you really going to let me see him?" Marin suddenly asked.
"Yes, but not right now."
"When will that be?"
"Tonight." Ye Chenfeng planned to take Marin to the hospital, hoping that Xiong Qi would forgive his son, Xiong Biao, after seeing Marin.
As soon as he mentioned going to the hospital, Marin immediately agreed.
They took the bus there.
The bus stopped and started until they reached the hospital, and they both got off.
Curious women nearby pointed at them, gossiping about who knows what.
That's how it is in China; some people just have too much time on their hands and need to stir up some gossip to pass the time.
Marin asked Ye Chenfeng, "Did you hear what that curly-haired woman behind us said?"
As soon as they got on the bus, Ye Chenfeng had been dozing off.
He had encountered a lot of strange events lately, some even involving death. Moreover, that mysterious threatening phone call still lingered; he could still be threatened using Qin Keqing's phone number. Ye Chenfeng didn't mention this to Marin for fear of scaring her.
He couldn't call the police either.
The officers were busy enough; who would bother to investigate what seemed like a trivial harassment call?
So, he didn't hear anyone gossiping.
"What does it matter if you didn't hear?"
"Didn't hear? Then it's nothing." Marin forced a smile and led the way into the hospital.
Entering a hospital, anyone would feel a sense of discomfort.
Try it yourself; go to a hospital when you're not sick and see if you don't feel uneasy.
Marin felt cold. She hugged her arms and asked Ye Chenfeng, "Why did you bring me to the hospital?"
"To see someone."
"Who?"
"Xiong Qisheng."
"Don't scare me; you just said he was dead." Marin stopped in her tracks, unwilling to go any further. She was genuinely frightened by Ye Chenfeng.
"He's in that ward. I brought you here to fulfill his last wish, to tell him about Xiong Biao, and he knows you."
"He knows me?" Marin's face turned pale, and she shivered involuntarily.
"Yes, in fact, it was he who told me your name that led me to find you."
Marin froze, unsure of what to do.
Knowing that a dead person might not be a good thing. But if he didn't go, since he was aware of his existence, would he really appear in front of him to scare him?
"Let's go. He's a good ghost. Just don't tell anyone else you saw him. Coming to see him this time is fulfilling a wish."
Marin nervously swallowed and hesitated, "Alright."
Ye Chenfeng walked ahead, occasionally glancing back at Marin, worried that she might sneak away if he wasn't careful.
The hospital room was right in front of them.
This time they were lucky; there were no patients in the room. The door was slightly ajar, as if the patient had just been discharged and the nurse hadn't had time to clean up.
It was the Spring Festival, so there weren't many patients in the hospital, which was one reason.
Also, the nurses needed to celebrate the festival too. With the Lantern Festival still a few days away, there were only one or two nurses busy in the hospital.
"Are we going in?"
Seeing that there was no one around, Ye Chenfeng thought to himself: Heaven is helping me. He nodded at Marin, indicating it was okay.
Marin followed Ye Chenfeng into the hospital room.
The room wasn't very dirty; it was clean and tidy with only a small amount of trash on the floor.
Ye Chenfeng entered and casually closed the door behind him, securing it with a bolt.
The noise from outside was isolated from the quietness of the room. The curtains at the window swayed gently with the breeze, adding to the eerie atmosphere in such silence.
"What are you doing?"
"Shh..." Ye Chenfeng formed a hand seal and chanted an incantation. Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through the room.
Then, a shadow began to materialize between them.
The shadow emerged from behind Marin, so she felt only the cold without seeing it.
When Ye Chenfeng said, "Uncle Xiong, your daughter-in-law is here. If you have something to say, you can say it to her just the same," Marin was startled by this. She let out a sharp scream, jumping as if someone had stepped on her cat's tail, then spun around in a panic, only to see the shadow right behind her.
Marin saw the shadow with its head bowed and hunched back. She was tense and terrified, wanting to flee but unable to do so; the door was bolted and she couldn't pull it open.
"Don't be afraid, Sister Ma. He's a good ghost."
Ye Chenfeng stepped forward to comfort her, guiding the trembling Marin to stand before Xiong Qisheng.
"Marin, where's Xiong Biao?"
"He... he's dead..."
Xiong Qisheng clearly did not know about his son's death. He looked astonished, his eyes wide as if they might pop out of his head. With a pair of gnarled, withered fingers, he reached out toward Marin.
This scene was unexpected for Ye Chenfeng. He was taken aback and shouted, "Wait!"
Xiong Qisheng's ghostly claw retracted as he muttered angrily, "She's a seductress; she killed my son."
"No, I'm not a seductress," Marin weakly protested. Fear gripped her; her legs trembled uncontrollably. If not for her hands gripping the wall tightly, she would have collapsed.
"Uncle Xiong, can you listen to me for a moment?" Ye Chenfeng pulled out a talisman and asked solemnly.
"You helped me, yet you brought such a wicked woman and told me my son is dead. How can I possibly feel good about this?"
"She is an innocent victim, a casualty of your son's actions. How can you be so foolish as to harm her?" Ye Chenfeng questioned Xiong Qisheng firmly.
"A casualty? She's involved? What involvement?" Xiong Qisheng seemed unaware of his son Xiong Biao's borrowing for gambling, asking in confusion.
"Your son was addicted to drugs, involved in fights, and borrowed money at high interest. His death was deserved, but it also dragged Marin down with him. Marin is now destitute, living off selling Tofu Pudding. Do you really want to push such a pitiful woman to her death?"
Xiong Qisheng stumbled back a few steps, leaning against the wall, his lifeless gray eyes wide open as he stared blankly at the sobbing Marin and the earnest Ye Chenfeng. He sighed helplessly, "This is a tragedy... We owe her so much. I apologize for what I did earlier; I was confused and nearly harmed an innocent."
"It's alright, I understand your feelings," Marin said, unable to face the ghost of her father-in-law. She lowered her head, looking at the ground as she wept, "I truly loved Xiong Biao. For him, I lost everyone else... I... I have a child with him."
"A child? You mean Xiong Biao has a child?" Xiong Qisheng exclaimed in surprise, joy lighting up his face.
Marin nodded with a sigh, "Unfortunately, I couldn't raise him and had to give him away."
Xiong Qisheng was stunned. "You can't give him away; he is the only heir of our family!"
"Alas! I can't even support myself; how could I care for a child?" Marin replied helplessly.
"Child, you must find him! I'll give you money. Go to our house; under the fourth brick in the corner of the bed, there's a wooden box filled with money I've saved for you." Xiong Qisheng hurriedly revealed a long-held secret to Marin.
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