Chapter 148

Chapter 148

◎Those Past Events◎

The food stalls were bustling, with some shop owners cooking right by the roadside, the loud sizzling sounds of stir-frying adding to the lively atmosphere. Some people, having had too much to drink, were shouting at the top of their lungs. On this ordinary night, the usual hustle and bustle of life was in full swing.

But amidst this liveliness, Qian Fei's father was completely stiff, his mind was buzzing, only able to hear his own heartbeat. He couldn’t hear anything else, and he even hesitated to look into his son's eyes.

Seeing his father's reaction, Qian Fei was also stunned. It was actually true, but how could that be possible?

He quickly calmed himself down, took a gulp of the cold beer, and tried to downplay the significance of the matter: "Dad, I want to know what happened back then."

Qian Fei's father also took a sip from his glass, laughed, and said, "What are you talking about? If you're not our biological son, did we pick you up somewhere? Look at our eyebrows, they’re identical."

As he spoke, he pointed to the tangled eyebrows at the end of his brow.

Qian Fei knew his family well, and his father’s reaction had already given him the answer. Qian Fei said, "Dad, just tell me. This is just between us, I won't tell anyone. I'm already grown up, whether I'm biologically related or not doesn't matter anymore. I'll always be your son and grandson."

Qian Fei's father silently drank a few more sips of beer and asked, "Who told you something?"

Qian Fei: "You know about my bad luck with money, I can't save any, I can only stay afloat by overdrafting every month. To balance my expenses, I rented a place in a great location but it’s cheap, No. 18 Ping'an Road."

Hearing this address, Qian Fei's father's hand went limp, and the glass he was holding fell onto the table, spilling beer all over.

Qian Fei took a tissue and wiped the table, then said, "These past two years, my life has suddenly become much smoother, no more bad luck. Then a Taoist who knows about these things came to me. He was originally here to deal with a haunted house, but when he saw me, he said that the reason my life has been so smooth these past two years is because the people who died in the fire in that haunted house were my relatives, and they are watching over me."

Qian Fei glanced at his father, not mentioning that the Taoist wanted him to help with the exorcism, nor that the house at No. 16 was deadly. He only said, "I didn’t believe him, how could I not be your biological son? But the Taoist said that their memorial day is coming up soon, and if relatives could pay their respects, it would comfort the spirits."

The owner brought a plate of skewers, breaking Qian Fei’s father’s silence. Looking at the skewers on the table, emitting the aroma of cumin, and then at his son across the table eating them, Qian Fei's father said, "Those who died in the fire back then were indeed your biological parents."

Qian Fei's hand holding the skewer paused in mid-air, and his mouth instantly lost its taste. It was true, even though his father's reaction had already given him the answer, hearing the truth directly, Qian Fei still found it hard to accept.

Blood relations weren’t that important to him; the bond he had with his family over the years was what mattered most. If his biological parents were still alive, his feelings might not have been so profound.

But they were gone, and by chance, he had moved back to his old home, and his deceased relatives had become spirits in the fire, helping him suppress his bad luck after he moved in. This naturally made his feelings different.

Since the matter had been brought up, there was no need to hide it anymore. Qian Fei's father poured himself another glass of beer, drank it, and then said, "To say that you and I are completely unrelated wouldn't be accurate, otherwise why would we look so much alike?"

"Your grandfather and your biological grandfather were brothers, they lived in the same courtyard when they were young, No. 18 Ping'an Road. After they grew up and started their own families, the courtyard was given to your biological grandfather by your great-grandfather. Our family didn't take the house, only the money, so we split up."

Speaking of the past, Qian Fei's father couldn't help but light a cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and calmed the complex emotions of revisiting old memories: "When I was about seven years old, your father fell into the river, and I pulled him out. It was the middle of winter, and we both got severely chilled, almost developing pneumonia. We had to get injections in the hospital for several days. It was during that hospital visit that they discovered I had some developmental issues, which didn't affect my life, but essentially meant I might not be able to have children."

When the hospital informed their family about his condition, it was like the sky had fallen for them. It was the beginning of the one-child policy, and it was too late to have another child.

This bolt from the blue left the entire Qian family in despair. This was why his grandfather gave the house to the eldest son and the money to their family. At that time, houses weren't worth much, many were empty, but money was important. Giving the money to their family was also to help with his treatment.

Qian Fei's biological father, his cousin, was two years older than him. Children of that era matured early, and seeing their family's situation, he said that when he had children, he would give one to their family, so that he wouldn't be left without an heir or someone to take care of him in old age.

At that time, their grandparents had also discussed this with his cousin's family, and even when his cousin got married, they had talked about it with his wife beforehand, saying they would have two children and give one to him. It was better to adopt from their own family than from someone else's.

Everything was agreed upon, and he even thought about buying a house near his cousin's place in the future, to be close and to comfort his cousin and his wife.

But his mother didn't think the same way, fearing that after raising the child, the biological bond would still be strong, and what if the child didn't recognize him.

Qian Fei's father said, "Later, I met your mother. She was a trainee nurse at the time, and we had feelings for each other. Medicine wasn't as advanced as it is now, with options like IVF. I explained my situation to your mother. Naturally, she was concerned at first, but later she thought that a child, once raised, would be close to her. She didn't mind my condition and married me."

"The year after your mother and I got married, your biological father got married. It was agreed that their second child would be given to me, fearing that the first-time mother might not be willing to part with her first child. You have an older sister, their first child was a girl, nicknamed Sweet Girl, very cute. Two years later, they had you. At that time, the one-child policy was still in place, and having a second child wasn't allowed. They had to hide in the countryside to have you. You know how important the idea of carrying on the family line was in those days, they couldn't bear to have just one son."

Qian Fei asked, "Did my biological father go back on his word?"

Qian Fei's father shook his head: "No, it was your maternal grandmother who went back on her word. They were afraid that with only one girl in their family, your mother would have no standing at home in the future. They said since it was all about giving a child, why not give the girl to me instead? I would be very happy to have a child, regardless of whether it was a boy or a girl. But at that time, Tian Niu was already three years old and could recognize people. Your grandmother was against it, saying that only raising a child from infancy would make them close."

Qian Fei couldn't help but ask: "What happened later? How did they agree to give me to you?"

Qian Fei's father said: "They didn't consent. It was your grandmother and your father who secretly brought you to me, telling me to take you and leave quickly. They thought that your father and mother could still have another child later, and it would just be a matter of paying a fine. I was hesitant at the time, but you were in my arms, so tiny, your eyes not even fully open. Your mother held you, so fond of you, and when she looked at me, she cried, saying she couldn't bear to give you back. So I steeled myself, gritted my teeth, and took you back to your mother's hometown, where your maternal grandparents lived."

Looking back, their family was quite harsh back then, even including Qian Fei's father, his cousin. Perhaps he wanted to return a favor, and he was indeed a good brother, but not a good husband. Secretly taking away a child, how could the child's mother bear it?

And he was greedy and selfish that one time, so over the years, he has loved Qian Fei but also felt guilty, wishing he could give him the moon and stars as compensation, afraid that the child would feel wronged with him, afraid that he wouldn't give enough love, making his brother and sister-in-law restless even in death.

Qian Fei's father couldn't help but tear up when recalling the past: "Just as I settled down here, your uncle came looking for me. You also have a biological uncle, which is why their family was willing to give me a child. My family only had me, while your father's family had two."

Qian Fei asked: "Did something happen to them?"

Qian Fei's father nodded: "I only learned the day after we left that a fire had broken out at home, and everyone was gone, the whole family, including your maternal grandmother's family who stayed here. I left you here and returned to handle the funeral. Your uncle said he would take the house and never come looking for me again, nor would he reveal your true identity. Otherwise, according to inheritance, the house should have been yours."

Back then, transferring property wasn't as cumbersome as it is now. His grandfather divided the family property and directly transferred the courtyard to his cousin, then gave a few hidden gold bars to his younger brother, and the family savings to him.

Among the grandchildren, there were only three of them, so the distribution wasn't unfair. But when the cousin died, the house under his name naturally should have been inherited by his son, not his brother. But if there was no son, then it would naturally go to the younger brother.

A newborn baby, Qian Lao San didn't want to take on such a burden. At that time, Qian Lao San wasn't married yet, and if he had a child first, how would he marry later? Since someone wanted the child, he took the house as hush money, achieving two goals at once.

Over the years, Qian Fei's father would secretly return alone every year to pay respects, and he never dared to go to the old house on Peace Road, afraid of running into Qian Fei's uncle, Qian Lao San.

Later, when Qian Fei was admitted to Yulan, he was always worried that Qian Fei might run into someone, but he also thought the city was so big, it might not happen.

But who would have thought that after all these twists and turns, Qian Fei actually rented back his family's old house, which could be considered their ancestral home.

As for the house being haunted, Qian Fei's father was completely unaware. Back then, the internet wasn't as developed as it is now, and information from the outside world only came from newspapers and TV news. Now that the internet is developed, but they are old, and news feeds wouldn't push haunted house information to this group of old folks.

After finishing the story, Qian Fei's father sighed deeply: "This matter has been weighing heavily on my heart for many years. I've always feared that one day you would come back and say you hate me, hate me for taking you away from your biological parents. I don't even know what really happened that night with the fire. I even thought, maybe it was because I took the child that the family got into a fight, and that's how the fire started."

Qian Fei's father took several tissues to wipe his tears. Those were his relatives too, his grandparents, uncle, and cousin, all gone, completely gone.

Qian Fei said: "How could I hate you? You're my dad."

Qian Fei's father looked at his son, tears streaming down even more.

Qian Fei laughed: "What are you crying for at your age? What's done is done, and you don't need to carry any psychological burden anymore. I'm your son, always will be. Our father-son bond isn't just based on blood, and besides, it's not like there's no blood connection, right? Stop crying, eat your skewers, or they'll get cold."

When Qian Fei first brought this up, his father was indeed a bit shocked and panicked, but after talking about it, he felt relieved. The matter that had been hidden in his heart for so many years was finally released.

Seeing Qian Fei's calm reaction to the matter, his father also felt at ease. What once seemed like a big deal now seemed manageable.

After thinking for a moment, Qian Fei's father said: "This year, I'll go back with you. Over the years, I've only managed to go during the New Year, and I've never been there on their death anniversary."

Going back would only mean visiting the cemetery. Qian Fei's father never dared to go back to the old house, afraid of being overwhelmed by memories, and also afraid of running into Qian Fei's uncle, Qian Lao San.

Upon hearing this, Qian Fei's first reaction was to refuse. This year was not the time to go. According to the Taoist, this year was the third decade, and every ten years, the haunted house would cause a big commotion. If his father went, what if it further agitated his deceased relatives?

Qian Fei put down his chopsticks, put on gloves, and started peeling shrimp, pretending to be very natural: "That won't do. I just came back, and if you go to Yulan with me now, what kind of person is my mom? She's as sharp as a tack and as discerning as an eagle. If you go to Yulan with me now, wouldn't that clearly tell her that I know about this? We agreed that only we would know about this, and we absolutely must not tell the family."

Qian Fei's father thought about it and agreed. If he went, the whole family would know that Qian Fei knew. Although Qian Fei himself didn't care, there was a big difference between saying it and not saying it. It was definitely better not to say it.

Qian Fei placed the peeled shrimp meat in a separate takeout box and said: "I'll go alone. Just give me the address of the cemetery, and I'll go pay my respects."

Qian Fei's father nodded and asked: "You just said a Taoist told you they helped you suppress your bad luck?"

Qian Fei smiled and said: "Yes, these past two years have been smooth for me. Whatever project I take on succeeds. Like today, I planned to come back, and I just managed to grab the last discounted ticket. Smooth, right?"

Qian Fei’s father said, "They must be blessing you. Your biological parents were good people, and so were your great-grandparents. Your uncle wasn’t a bad guy either. He wasn’t married back then and couldn’t take care of you. He knew I wouldn’t give you to him, so he took the house in exchange, which also put my mind at ease."

Qian Fei asked, "Where is my uncle now?"

His father shook his head, "I don’t know. We haven’t been in contact for so many years. Aren’t you living at number 18 now?"

Qian Fei replied, "Yes, but I rented it through an agency. The landlord seems to be a woman."

His father nodded, "It could be your aunt or your uncle’s child. If I had known you’d settle in Yulan, we wouldn’t have sold our house there."

Qian Fei was surprised, "We owned a house in Yulan?"

His father said, "Of course, though it wasn’t as big as number 18. It was in the same neighborhood, and there were many old neighbors around. Most of them were familiar with our family’s situation. We were concerned they might gossip and you’d overhear something, so we sold the house and moved to your grandparents’ place."

Qian Fei winced, "If we hadn’t sold it, would I be worth millions now?"

His father also felt regretful, "Who would have thought that such a poor area, practically a slum back then, would develop so well now."

The father and son looked at each other, and they both sighed, "Sigh..."

At the side entrance of the hospital, just past 10 o’clock, several women with bags walked out one after another. One of them, with sharp eyes, spotted someone at the intersection from afar and said to the person beside her, "Sister Lu, is that your man?"

Wan Lu squinted to see. The figure looked vaguely familiar, but she wasn’t sure. "Maybe."

She took a few steps forward. While she didn’t recognize her husband, she recognized her son and called out in surprise, "Xiao Fei!"

Qian Fei turned his head and waved cheerfully, "Mom!"

A nurse who was getting off work with her smiled and said, "Wow, Sister Lu, is that your son? He’s really good-looking."

Wan Lu walked over with a smile, squeezing her son’s arm to check if he’d lost weight. "Why didn’t you call me when you came back? When did you arrive?"

Qian Fei replied, "I got back this afternoon. I wanted to give you a surprise. Look, crayfish! I’ve already peeled the shells, and the meat is soaked in flavor. We’ll savor it at home."

Wan Lu, though not as tall as her son, could still hook her arm around his. She handed her small bag containing her phone and other items to her husband and happily walked home with her son.

Qian Fei’s father carried the bag behind them, watching his wife and son ahead, feeling his life was now fulfilled and without regrets.

Qian Fei stayed at home for a few days, enjoying the luxury of being pampered. He had come back with one suitcase but left with two. His grandparents wanted to pack a year’s worth of daily necessities for him.

They packed all kinds of snacks they had bought but hadn’t finished into the suitcase, along with homemade sauces. Even though he was thirty, they treated him like he was still in college.

Seeing the suitcase about to burst, Qian Fei stopped them, "Enough, Grandma. The suitcase is about to burst. I can buy these things in Yulan."

His grandmother pushed his hand away, "Taking things from home will save you some money. You’re strapped for cash."

Qian Fei laughed bitterly. Though it was true, it stung a little.

Since his mother had to work and it was hard to take time off from the hospital, his father was the one who took him to the airport.

Qian Fei hugged his father, "Don’t worry, I’ll look after myself. As long as everything’s fine at home, I can focus on making my way out there!"

His father said, "I’ve downloaded some apps for online grocery shopping. I’ll occasionally buy you some good food. If you’re short on money, just let us know. Don’t struggle alone."

Qian Fei nodded, and after chatting for a while, he waved goodbye to his father.

On the plane, Qian Fei took out a piece of paper with a phone number on it and sent a WeChat request. It was quickly accepted.

Qian Fei said, "This is Qian Fei. About what you mentioned last time, can you ensure my safety?"

Ji Nanxing: "Of course, whether we can successfully transcend the souls or not, your safety is definitely guaranteed."

Qian Fei: "Alright, I’m in. How can I help?"

Ji Nanxing set up a face-to-face meeting and then called He Long.

While keeping living people from accidentally entering on this specific day can prevent the haunted house from causing harm, many things are uncontrollable. Right now, it seems the scenario repeats every ten years, but that pattern isn’t set in stone.

The Qian family are now earthbound spirits, holding onto their obsessions but without much malevolent energy. However, those who died here later are different. If they ever break free from the earthbound force, things will spiral out of control. If all the souls in that haunted house can be transcended, it's much better than leaving such an unpredictable time bomb.

Ji Nanxing went over the plan with He Long on the phone. Although the specifics would need to be addressed after meeting Qian Fei, they could now outline the general process.

After hanging up, Xiao Ye voiced his concern: "Isn’t He Long the captain? Can’t he go in? Must it be you?"

Ji Nanxing: "He’s not as skilled as I am."

The scenario replays every ten years. As long as he’s not swayed by the spirits’ memories, he won’t get pulled in.

Ji Nanxing wasn’t doubting He Long’s abilities. Since he could become the captain, Ji Nanxing believed He Long could remain calm at this level. But just to be safe, it’s better if I go.

Because only I can open the Ghost Gate on the spot. If necessary, I could open the Ghost Gate and summon the Yin Officers to send those souls directly down.

So, it’s best if the earthbound spirits in the haunted house play nice and don’t force me to get rough.

Seeing Ji Nanxing’s no-nonsense attitude, Xiao Ye went from worried to praying for those souls, hoping they would recognize the situation.

"So, what talismans do you need? The Heavenly Thunder Talisman should cover it. Bring a bunch. There are a lot of souls who died in that house. Besides the Heavenly Thunder Talisman, do you need anything else? I can draw them for you right away."

Ji Nanxing said, "Grab a few Sutra Talismans. If we can transcend them, let’s send them off the right way."

Xiao Ye nodded, "Got it! I’ll figure out how to draw them!"

Since Ji Naonao’s dealing with something major, I can’t let him down. The backup has to be solid.

There are two tenants living on the third floor of No. 18 Ping'an Road, both male. One’s a typical nine-to-five office worker, fearless and with strong Yang Energy, who has never believed in ghosts or spirits since childhood, so he moved into the haunted house to save money.

The other’s also from a struggling family. He has a day job and works the night shift at a 24-hour convenience store, only sleeping at home in the afternoon and not being there at night, so the haunted house doesn’t matter to him as long as it’s cheap.

He Long obviously couldn’t tell them the house would be haunted that night, so he had to contact the landlord to inform them that the house would undergo maintenance that day and arranged for them to stay in a hotel for two nights.

When Qian Fei came back with his luggage, No. 18 was already blocked off. With all the commotion, it looked like the house was about to be torn down. He looked around but couldn’t find the way in, finally spotting Ji Nanxing under a canopy on the other side.

Qian Fei walked over: "Young Celestial Master?"

Ji Nanxing turned around: "Just call me Celestial Master. Why the 'young'?"

Qian Fei smiled: "Because you’re younger than me. Can’t we go in now? I haven’t even put down my luggage yet."

Ji Nanxing: "Just put it anywhere."

Qian Fei placed his luggage in a corner, then looked at the place he had lived in for two years. After returning from home and learning that this was his family’s old house, his feelings were naturally different now.

It might sound like hindsight, but when the agent first showed him the house, he felt an inexplicable familiarity at first sight, a sense of indescribable comfort. This was one of the reasons he decided to rent it despite the haunted house reputation.

Ji Nanxing asked, "So, you’ve confirmed your identity?"

Qian Fei nodded: "I’m lucky to have such loving family."

Whether biological or not, they all love him dearly.

Ji Nanxing: "Get ready—we’re heading in tonight. I’ll fill you in on the details later."

Even though he knew they were his family, Qian Fei was still a little nervous and asked: "Just me?"

Ji Nanxing: "I’ll go with you. I said I’d ensure your safety."

Hearing that Ji Nanxing would go with him, Qian Fei instantly felt better. Looking at the already broken gate of the courtyard on the first floor, he suddenly felt a bit apprehensive about returning home.