The Haunted House - Chapter 10

“Qingqing, what’s going on?” As soon as they walked in, Bai Song and Tang Shan surrounded her completely.

Bai Qingqing shook her head helplessly and went straight back to her room.

“Rang, what happened to Qingqing?”

“Uncle Bai, don’t worry. Qingqing is fine; she just had a rough morning and feels a bit down.”

“Yeah, that’s only natural!” Tang Shan chimed in from the side, emphasizing the word “natural” as if he wanted to make sure everyone knew he was human too.

After that, the three of them sat on the couch discussing Aunt Wang’s death, but they didn’t come up with any valuable information, so they dispersed.

Once Bai Qingqing returned to her room, her mood grew heavier. She suddenly remembered the name of the magazine she had heard on the phone last night. Feeling it was a clue, she quickly opened her notebook and typed “Fengxin Magazine” into Baidu. However, as soon as she hit enter, the computer instantly blue-screened, followed by a black screen. Bai Qingqing stared blankly at the computer and suddenly recalled the leasing information she had seen not long ago. At that moment, the notebook screen turned blood red and faded into a few words: “Fengxin. Do you want to know more? Please click the mouse to continue.” Bai Qingqing found herself clicking the mouse uncontrollably, and more words appeared on the screen: “It seems you still have some courage. Remember, you must finish your topic within three months, or you will live a fate worse than death!” The dark, bold letters seemed to open their mouths one by one, as if they were going to swallow Bai Qingqing. Startled, her hand trembled, and she accidentally clicked the mouse again, plunging the screen back into darkness. Just as she thought she could breathe a sigh of relief, a pair of blood-soaked hands with bulging veins appeared on the screen. They struggled, attempting to break through the screen and clutch at Bai Qingqing’s throat, just like the scene from her dream last night. Suddenly, mournful music filled the computer, and a chilling voice said, “Welcome to the Haunted House.” Bai Qingqing hadn’t even reacted when the computer abruptly returned to the Baidu page she had just searched.

Bai Qingqing stared intently at the notebook screen. The Baidu page displayed numerous pieces of information about “Fengxin Magazine,” but none of them were relevant. Just as she was about to close her eyes for a brief rest, the computer screen suddenly displayed a long-missing photo of Li Qian, still as terrifying as before, still sharp like a demon. The only difference was that he was smiling at Bai Qingqing, an evil grin, a cunning smile, a bizarre smile, a fearful smile. But Bai Qingqing had already closed her eyes.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Qingqing, Uncle Bai just got a call from Uncle Zhao, one of our neighbors. He said there’s news from the police station. Do you want to go check it out?” Li Rang’s voice came softly from outside the door, though a faint, mischievous smile played on his lips. That smile reminded Bai Qingqing eerily of Li Qian, whose face had been badly disfigured.

Still struggling to make sense of her swirling thoughts, Bai Qingqing unsteadily picked up her bag and opened the door.

“Let’s go,” she said curtly, a single word escaping her lips before she fell silent again.

“You two be careful on the way. It’s been chaotic in the community lately,” Bai Song called after them, his voice tinged with concern. “Rang, make sure to protect Qingqing, alright?”

On the cab ride there, Bai Qingqing remained quiet, consumed by her thoughts, her head bowed in contemplation. Li Rang noticed her distant expression and felt a pang in his chest.

“Qingqing, when was that lion statue built?” Li Rang suddenly asked, deliberately attempting to start a conversation. “Why did they decide to put a lion statue there in the first place?”

Before Bai Qingqing could respond, the cab driver jumped into the conversation eagerly.

“Ah, that lion statue has a fascinating backstory!” the driver said, his voice swelling with pride. “My grandmother used to live in this area, and she told me the story. A long time ago, there was a terrible famine here. Lots of people starved to death. One night, out of nowhere, a giant lion appeared. Every day, the lion would bring back wild boar meat, saving the people who lived here. Unfortunately, one day, the lion fought against several wild boars at once and lost its life. To honor its sacrifice, the community built that statue, and it’s since become the guardian spirit of Wangti Road.” The driver recounted the tale as if he were personally connected to the lion, his voice filled with admiration.

Li Rang, however, wasn’t particularly interested in the story. He offered the driver a polite smile of acknowledgment but quickly turned back toward the window, staring into the distance.

“Oh, by the way, did something happen on Wangti Road today?” the driver asked casually. “I overheard my mom on the phone this morning with her friends, saying it felt like someone… someone had died.”

At the word “died,” both Bai Qingqing and Li Rang’s eyes lit up. In unison, they responded, “Yes.” Then Bai Qingqing quickly followed up, her tone sharpening with curiosity. “Driver, does your mom know Aunt Wang?”

“Oh, so it’s Aunt Wang who passed away?” the driver exclaimed, a note of realization in his voice. “Yeah, they used to play cards together all the time. Though now that you mentioned it, something strange did happen yesterday. Aunt Wang came over to join their card game, and for a moment, she acted really bizarre. It was like she had a stroke or something. Her mouth started muttering gibberish while her eyes went wide-so wide it was kind of terrifying. She didn’t seem aware of anyone else talking to her. Then, just as suddenly, she closed her eyes. But weirdly enough, a couple of minutes later, she was fine again, as if nothing ever happened.”

“And then what?” Bai Qingqing and Li Rang asked in perfect unison again.

“Then? Well, I don’t really know,” the driver admitted. “That’s all I heard from my mom. Apparently, after that, Aunt Wang was fine, so everyone just brushed it off and didn’t think much of it. Who would’ve guessed… she was so young to…” The driver’s voice faltered, tinged with regret. “It’s such a shame.”

Bai Qingqing fell silent once again. It was becoming increasingly clear that Aunt Wang’s death wasn’t as simple as it appeared. Urging the driver to step on the gas, she anxiously pressed him to get to the police station as quickly as possible.

“No need to pay. We’re all doing this for Aunt Wang. You’d better hurry and head into the police station-you never know, my mom might still be inside,” the driver said, brushing off her attempt to pay. With that, he hit the accelerator and drove off.

As Bai Qingqing rushed into the police station, she was struck by the sight of the crowded lobby. Neighbors from their community filled nearly every seat, even including Granny Fang, who was already in her eighties and rarely stepped out of her home.

“Granny Fang, what did the police say?” Bai Qingqing knelt slightly in front of her, gently holding the frail woman’s hand with a sorrowful expression.

“We still don’t know anything. Everyone’s just waiting for news,” Granny Fang replied with a sigh. “Yanyan’s husband suspects it was foul play-a murder.”

Just as Granny Fang finished speaking, an officer in uniform stepped out from the back.

“Who saw Wang Yanyan yesterday? Please step forward,” the officer announced loudly. Five or six people quickly raised their hands. Without hesitation, Bai Qingqing and Li Rang raised their hands as well.

“Alright, come with me.” With those words, the officer led Bai Qingqing and the others to a more secluded conference hall. At the entrance, two other officers stood idly by, and as the group was ushered in, the two began chatting casually outside.

“Why all this fuss? It’s just one person dead,” muttered one of the officers at the door, his tone laced with sarcasm. “People in this area get killed all the time-this isn’t new.”

“Exactly,” the other officer agreed, shaking his head. “The only reason they’re going all out for this case is because the victim’s community apparently includes someone close to the bureau chief-someone with connections. Otherwise, no way we’d be this busy. But mark my words, they’re not going to solve this anytime soon.” The officer let out an exasperated sigh and shrugged before opening the conference hall door and stepping inside.

“Everyone, please have a seat. The bureau is taking Wang Yanyan’s case very seriously. This investigation is being personally spearheaded by our deputy director, so we ask for your patience.” The officer made the announcement, trying his best to sound professional.

About five minutes later, a portly man dressed in a police uniform entered the room. His face was shiny with a film of oil, and his cheerful expression seemed out of place given the circumstances.

“Good afternoon, everyone. The bureau chief greatly prioritizes this case regarding Wang Yanyan’s death. As you were among the last to see her, I hope you can provide some valuable information to help us solve the case,” the so-called deputy director said, grinning broadly.

“Excuse me, Deputy Director, but how can you smile when we’re dealing with a murder case? This is a matter of life and death!” A man from the group couldn’t hold back his anger and indignantly voiced his thoughts. His words quickly drew support, and a chorus of agreement rose from the room.

The deputy director froze, his smile evaporating instantly. He awkwardly cleared his throat, wiping his face with a handkerchief as he shifted into a more serious demeanor. “My apologies. Now, let’s get to business-I ask that each of you promptly share any relevant information you may have.”

“I’ll go first, I’ll go first. Wang Yanyan and I were good friends who played cards together often. Yesterday, when she came over to my house to play, something really strange happened…” The enthusiastic middle-aged woman finished recounting her story, and Bai Qingqing exchanged a glance with Li Rang. Clearly, this woman was the mother of that taxi driver they had just encountered.

“This is an important lead. Make sure you record everything clearly. Take this lady to the meeting room next door and get a detailed statement from her,” the deputy director instructed his subordinate with a serious expression. A police officer promptly led the middle-aged woman out of the room.

“Next,” the deputy director called out from his chair.

“When I saw Yanyan yesterday, she was at the market buying groceries. She didn’t seem to be acting unusually. We just talked briefly about her family’s dog, Beibei. Altogether, we only said-” The person paused to count on their fingers before continuing, “Altogether, we only said three or four sentences to each other.”

Seeing that there wasn’t any valuable information, the deputy director dismissed this person as well. A few others shared their accounts one after another, but none provided any helpful clues.

“Hmm, when was the last time you two saw Wang Yanyan?” The deputy director turned his attention to Bai Qingqing and Li Rang, who hadn’t spoken yet.

“We saw Aunt Wang yesterday while we were walking around the community. We didn’t really talk to her, just exchanged greetings and went on our way,” Li Rang recalled.

“I see. Alright, you two can leave now,” the deputy director said, smoothing back his greasy hair.

As Bai Qingqing replayed the scene of encountering Aunt Wang in her mind, a sudden realization struck her. “Ah!” she exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Everyone in the room turned to stare at her curiously.

Snapping out of it, Bai Qingqing quickly followed Li Rang out the door. After listening to everyone’s accounts, she began piecing things together and suddenly noticed a glaring inconsistency. Based on the timeline, the neighbor who saw Aunt Wang at the market claimed that she had bought a lot of groceries. Yet, less than twenty minutes later, when Aunt Wang returned to the community, Bai Qingqing distinctly remembered that her hands were empty-she wasn’t carrying any groceries at all.

Could the neighbor have been lying? Or did Aunt Wang meet someone else or experience something significant in those twenty minutes?

“I’ve found an important clue. Do you want to come with me?” Bai Qingqing didn’t know why she trusted Li Rang so much at this moment, but she instinctively wanted his company.

“Where to? Let’s go!” Li Rang responded enthusiastically.

Without another word, Bai Qingqing grabbed Li Rang’s hand and sprinted out of the police station.

“Uncle Zhang, Uncle Zhang, wait a minute!” Bai Qingqing shouted breathlessly as she hurriedly chased after the figure of Zhang Jingtian, Wang Yanyan’s husband, in the distance.

Zhang Jingtian turned around, bewildered, looking at the two of them. “Qingqing, what’s going on?”

“Un-Uncle Zhang,” Bai Qingqing panted. “When Aunt Wang came home yesterday, did you see her carrying any groceries?”

Zhang Jingtian thought for a long moment before answering, puzzled, “I don’t think so. I remember she came home empty-handed.”

Now feeling more confident in her suspicions, Bai Qingqing looked at Zhang Jingtian seriously and said, “If that’s the case, then before I saw Aunt Wang, she must have met someone else. Aunt Wang’s death could very likely be related to this person.”

After listening to Bai Qingqing, Zhang Jingtian frowned, deep in thought, and then suddenly exclaimed, “That’s right! Now that you say it, I just remembered-when she came home, she immediately rushed into the toilet. I heard water running nonstop. I asked her what was going on, and she said she was washing her hands. She seemed a bit flustered, but after that, there didn’t seem to be anything unusual.”

“Really? Did you check the toilet afterward?” Bai Qingqing pressed further.

“No, once she came out, she seemed totally normal, so I didn’t think much of it. Honestly, it’s only now, after you mentioned it, that I’m starting to recall all of this,” Zhang Jingtian admitted.

“This really seems suspicious. I think we need to tell the police,” Li Rang said hesitantly, with a hint of nervousness.

“Yes, yes, I’ll go back right now and inform the police. Qingqing, if you think of anything else, be sure to let me know,” Zhang Jingtian replied loudly, turning and walking briskly back toward the police station.

Without hesitation, Bai Qingqing flagged down a taxi from the roadside and hurriedly returned to Wangti Road.

“I need to go back and investigate thoroughly. I feel like there must be a clue somewhere in the community,” Bai Qingqing said to Li Rang with determination.

“Alright, we’ll do as you say. I’ll stay by your side,” Li Rang responded, gazing at Bai Qingqing with deep sincerity.

Bzzzz… Bzzzz…

Bai Qingqing’s phone, sounding like a demon’s call, buzzed sharply. Her heart instantly leaped to her throat. With trembling hands, she pulled out the phone, only to see that it was the publishing company she was signed with. Relieved, she took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.

“What’s going on? Is there something urgent?”

“Qingqing! When are you coming back?” Wang Qianmin, the female editor on the other end, spoke with an overly flattering tone. “The editor-in-chief has arranged another book signing event for you. You know how it is-when you’re gaining fame, you’ve got to strike while the iron is hot. Check your schedule for me so I can book a time.”

“There are some things happening at home right now,” Bai Qingqing replied, trying to sound composed. “I’ll need some time before I can return. Let’s push the signing event back for now, okay? I need to sort things out here first.”

“Ah… but… how am I supposed to explain this to the editor-in-chief?” Wang Qianmin asked, her voice laced with hesitation and distress.

“You’ll figure it out,” Bai Qingqing said firmly. “Once things settle here, I’ll get back as soon as I can.” Without waiting for a response, she hung up the phone.

“What’s wrong?” Li Rang asked, his voice full of concern.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” Just the mere sound of Wang Qianmin’s voice reminded Bai Qingqing of their editor-in-chief back at the magazine agency-a man packed with endless energy despite his small stature, always pestering her to no end.

Bzzzz… Bzzzz…

The phone buzzed again. Instinctively, Bai Qingqing picked it up and answered without thinking. “I already told you, I can’t come back right now! I’ll call you when I’m free, okay?” She was just about to hang up when an ear-splitting shout erupted from the other end of the line:

“What are you trying to do? No, don’t come any closer! If you take another step, I won’t hold back!”

It was Bai Song’s voice!

Bai Qingqing immediately shouted into the phone, panic flooding her tone. “Dad! Dad, what’s going on? Are you okay? What’s happening?!” But the line suddenly went silent. Then, with a loud crash, as if the phone had been struck by something, the call was cut off.

“Driver! Quick, head to the lion statue on Wangti Road. It’s an emergency!” Bai Qingqing shouted, her voice trembling as she clutched her phone.