The coffin hitting the ground is a bad omen, and whispers circulate around.
Despite the eight coffin bearers changing the rope, they still couldn't lift the coffin when they tried together.
Discussions within the funeral procession grew louder, with accusations that the coffin bearers only took money without exerting effort. A young coffin bearer, impatient with those making snide remarks, retorted, "You try lifting it! See if you can move something so heavy-"
Before he could finish his complaint, an older coffin bearer stopped him.
In the act of lifting the coffin, mentioning words like "heavy" or "weighty" is taboo.
The older coffin bearers spoke with Landlord Brother, who wore a grim expression. He then found eight young and strong individuals from the funeral procession, making a total of sixteen to carry the coffin.
This time, even though they lifted it and walked a few steps, the rope broke again.
The dull thud weighed heavily on everyone's hearts. Those who came to help lift the coffin were scared and refused to assist further.
In the end, the Landlord's family had to abandon the local traditional way of carrying the coffin for the funeral. They hired people to place the coffin in the hearse, which then drove to the funeral home for cremation.
Tang Ning sat in the accompanying convoy, secretly calling Boss Hao, explaining the unusual events during the funeral. Boss Hao comforted Tang Ning, instructing him to accompany the procession all the way. After the burial, Tang Ning should take a handful of soil from the grave of Landlord Yingxing to resolve the calamity.
Tang Ning nodded vigorously, realizing halfway that Boss Hao couldn't see him. He lowered his voice and agreed.
Before Landlord Yingxing's body was sent for cremation, people could pay their respects in the farewell hall. Tang Ning stood in the hall, filled with flower wreaths, like everyone else. The atmosphere in the hall was solemn and sorrowful.
For some reason, Tang Ning always felt someone was watching him. He turned his head to look around, and everyone was in black clothing, expressionless or sorrowfully gazing at the memorial photos. No one seemed to be looking at Tang Ning.
However, that feeling of being observed became stronger, to the point of being eerie. Tang Ning felt extremely uneasy, suspecting his nerves were overly sensitive. He took deep breaths to calm himself.
After a while, Tang Ning got used to the spine-chilling unease. Like others, he raised his head and looked at the black and white memorial photo of Landlord Yingxing.
In the photo, Landlord Yingxing had no expression. His black eyes stared directly at Tang Ning. Dressed in a suit, he lacked the mischievous demeanor Tang Ning remembered, appearing cold as if he were a different person.
Staring at the memorial photo surrounded by white chrysanthemums, Tang Ning felt a sense of otherworldly separation.
Finally enduring the mourning period, the staff took Landlord Yingxing's body for cremation. Tang Ning breathed a sigh of relief, but even as he turned to leave, that feeling of being stared at lingered.
Tang Ning couldn't resist turning back, not seeing anyone watching him. There was only the photo of Landlord Yingxing hanging behind him.
Perhaps, he thought, he had been mentally stressed recently, making him overly suspicious. Tang Ning shook his head, walking towards the left side of the hall. Just as he was about to leave, at the last moment, Tang Ning inexplicably turned back to take another look.
Under the cold light, he saw the eyes of Landlord Yingxing in the photo slowly moving to the left, locking onto his gaze.
Tang Ning's muscles tensed in an instant, suspecting he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the photo again; Landlord Yingxing's eyes had returned to the center.
It must be an illusion.
Tang Ning stepped over the threshold, the chilling sensation of being observed like a venomous snake creeping up his spine. Tang Ning told himself not to overthink, but he couldn't resist turning back-
He saw the lips of Landlord Yingxing in the photo slowly parting, revealing a eerie smile!
In that moment, a shivering coldness surged from the soles of Tang Ning's feet to his head. His scalp exploded, and he broke out in a cold sweat on the spot!
Panic-stricken, Tang Ning rushed out of the farewell hall. Trying to shake off the image, he went to a spot where the photo couldn't be seen and tremulously dialed Boss Hao's number. After hearing Tang Ning's breathless plea for help, Boss Hao calmly said, "It's fine. As long as you follow my instructions to properly offer sacrifices, there won't be any issues."
With Boss Hao's assurance, Tang Ning reluctantly calmed down.
Next, Tang Ning, along with the funeral procession, accompanied Landlord Yingxing's urn to the cemetery. The cemetery was close to the villa area, and as they climbed the hill, Tang Ning remembered Boss Hao's instructions: look back every seven steps. After Landlord Yingxing was buried, Tang Ning planned to take a handful of soil from the greenery beside the grave, as the well-maintained cemetery had tiles all around.
Because he needs to wait for everyone to leave before getting the soil.
Tang Ning waited for almost an hour; one by one, the others left, leaving only Lu Junchi standing in front of the grave.
Lu Junchi looked even more haggard than yesterday. The stubble of dark hair on his face was untrimmed, and he wore a black suit, black bow tie, and black leather shoes, engulfed in a somber black from head to toe, exuding a profound grief.
"Tang Ning," Lu Junchi gazed at Landlord Yingxing's grave, speaking slowly, "There are things I don't know if Yingxing ever told you. I believe he didn't. Although he appears to be someone who talks a lot, he guards some secrets more securely than anyone else."
Tang Ning felt bewildered.
"During the time when you and Yingxing were quarreling, he experienced a series of strange incidents. At night, he would hear the cries of a strange woman while sleeping. This voice, even with earplugs and noise-canceling headphones, couldn't be blocked. It seemed to resonate in his mind."
"When he was in the elevator, the doors would open and close for no reason, and then he would hear the overload warning."
"During his shower, the water from the showerhead turned red. Despite being a short-haired guy, the pipes in his home were often clogged with long black hair."
"Perhaps these are ordinary things in life. At first, when he told me, I thought he was just talking nonsense, especially considering his habit of not being serious."
"Then, one day, when I went to his rented place to find him, I saw him strangling himself. He seemed determined to strangle himself alive." Lu Junchi lowered his voice, "Tang Ning, strange, isn't it? How could someone strangle themselves? He nearly died in front of me."
"I took him to the hospital for an examination, but it was ineffective. Later, I consulted some masters, but they couldn't help either. Then, Yingxing broke up with you over the phone. I watched him make that call, and his voice was laughing throughout, but you know what?"
"He was laughing while crying."
Tang Ning was stunned. With Lu Junchi's narrative, a bone-chilling sense of desecration crept through the words. The image of the eerie smiling photo in the farewell hall seemed to float before Tang Ning's eyes. If that photo could shed tears of blood, it probably would have appeared as a crying smile.
Lu Junchi continued, "Yingxing told me he didn't want to involve you in such mysterious things."
"After some time, maybe due to a powerful new master, he got rid of those things. Unfortunately, by that time, you had a new boyfriend, and your connection with him was severed."
"I'm telling you all this without any ulterior motive. The person is already dead, returning to dust and soil. I just don't want his feelings for you to be buried like dust."
After saying these words, Lu Junchi turned and left, leaving Tang Ning alone in the cemetery.
The wind blew through the open cemetery, emitting a faint, mournful sigh. Even in broad daylight, Tang Ning felt a refreshing chill.
Was it Yingxing's obsession?
Is that why he refuses to leave even in death?
Tang Ning felt extremely anxious, especially considering the next thing he had to do: take soil from the grave.
If he were the "Tang Ning" from a storyline, he might be moved by the ex-boyfriend's deep feelings. However, Tang Ning didn't have much emotion towards Yingxing; at most, he felt guilt. Suddenly learning so much about this deep affection made him feel suffocated.
"I, I will definitely burn more paper offerings for you in the future," Tang Ning nervously said, uttering some apologetic words. Then, he opened his bag, took out a small shovel and a plastic bag, and stealthily began to collect soil. As he collected the soil, that feeling of being watched spread over him once again.
Tang Ning knew that there was also a photo of Yingxing on the gravestone.
Was the Yingxing in that photo also looking at him with a sidelong glance? Did the pale face show a mysterious smile? Would blood tears flow from the photo?
Tang Ning didn't want to think about it, but the more he tried not to, the more uncontrollably his mind wandered into those thoughts.
With the shovel in his hand trembling uncontrollably, causing the soil to spill, Tang Ning dared not look at the grave of Lu Yingxing. He clenched his teeth, hastily scooped up a bit of soil, sealed the bag, and swiftly left.
In the silent cemetery, Tang Ning's disordered footsteps echoed through the air.
Shh, shh, shh.
Shh, shh, shh.
As he walked, the footsteps suddenly became irregular, as if there was someone else walking behind Tang Ning.
A cool breeze brushed over Tang Ning's neck, chilling enough to penetrate flesh and blow into the bone gaps. Tang Ning shivered, his walk turning into a run. He heard his own hurried footsteps, thumping, thumping, thumping. With his rapid sprint, another shadow-like sound accompanied him.
That thing started running too!
Tang Ning's soles turned icy; it seemed like something was stepping on the back of his heels with every step.
What should he do? What should he do?
His heartbeat accelerated incessantly, as if it would burst out of Tang Ning's chest. He ran until he could barely catch his breath. His legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead. As his speed slowed, the chilling sensation approached, creeping up on Tang Ning, step by step, like a tide.
An exceptionally familiar feeling, similar to the time he went to find Old Liu in the neighborhood, carrying Lu Yingxing's body up the stairs. It was the same bone-chilling cold.
In his blurred vision, Tang Ning saw an old man emerging from the forest next to the cemetery. He wore a Zhongshan suit and shouted at Tang Ning with a stern face, "No running in the cemetery!"
When this old man appeared, the cold sensation receded like a tide. Tang Ning stopped, feeling dizzy, almost collapsing.
The old man walked up to Tang Ning, reaching out to pat his shoulders.
Tang Ning, who was initially weak, felt revitalized after a few pats from the old man. He heard the stern words, "Next time, run more slowly. Don't let your soul run away!"
This seemingly unsympathetic old man appeared like the most amiable person to Tang Ning at this moment. He quickly said, "Uncle, can I go down the mountain with you?"
The old man nodded.
Tang Ning walked down the mountain shoulder to shoulder with the old man, realizing that the old man's steps were nimble, walking with ease. When they reached the exit of the cemetery, the old man stopped.
Tang Ning paused, turned around, and saw the old man heading back towards the cemetery. "Aren't you leaving with me?"
The old man replied sternly, "I am the cemetery caretaker."
The coffin hitting the ground is a bad omen, and whispers circulate around.
Despite the eight coffin bearers changing the rope, they still couldn't lift the coffin when they tried together.
Discussions within the funeral procession grew louder, with accusations that the coffin bearers only took money without exerting effort. A young coffin bearer, impatient with those making snide remarks, retorted, "You try lifting it! See if you can move something so heavy-"
Before he could finish his complaint, an older coffin bearer stopped him.
In the act of lifting the coffin, mentioning words like "heavy" or "weighty" is taboo.
The older coffin bearers spoke with Landlord Brother, who wore a grim expression. He then found eight young and strong individuals from the funeral procession, making a total of sixteen to carry the coffin.
This time, even though they lifted it and walked a few steps, the rope broke again.
The dull thud weighed heavily on everyone's hearts. Those who came to help lift the coffin were scared and refused to assist further.
In the end, the Landlord's family had to abandon the local traditional way of carrying the coffin for the funeral. They hired people to place the coffin in the hearse, which then drove to the funeral home for cremation.
Tang Ning sat in the accompanying convoy, secretly calling Boss Hao, explaining the unusual events during the funeral. Boss Hao comforted Tang Ning, instructing him to accompany the procession all the way. After the burial, Tang Ning should take a handful of soil from the grave of Landlord Yingxing to resolve the calamity.
Tang Ning nodded vigorously, realizing halfway that Boss Hao couldn't see him. He lowered his voice and agreed.
Before Landlord Yingxing's body was sent for cremation, people could pay their respects in the farewell hall. Tang Ning stood in the hall, filled with flower wreaths, like everyone else. The atmosphere in the hall was solemn and sorrowful.
For some reason, Tang Ning always felt someone was watching him. He turned his head to look around, and everyone was in black clothing, expressionless or sorrowfully gazing at the memorial photos. No one seemed to be looking at Tang Ning.
However, that feeling of being observed became stronger, to the point of being eerie. Tang Ning felt extremely uneasy, suspecting his nerves were overly sensitive. He took deep breaths to calm himself.
After a while, Tang Ning got used to the spine-chilling unease. Like others, he raised his head and looked at the black and white memorial photo of Landlord Yingxing.
In the photo, Landlord Yingxing had no expression. His black eyes stared directly at Tang Ning. Dressed in a suit, he lacked the mischievous demeanor Tang Ning remembered, appearing cold as if he were a different person.
Staring at the memorial photo surrounded by white chrysanthemums, Tang Ning felt a sense of otherworldly separation.
Finally enduring the mourning period, the staff took Landlord Yingxing's body for cremation. Tang Ning breathed a sigh of relief, but even as he turned to leave, that feeling of being stared at lingered.
Tang Ning couldn't resist turning back, not seeing anyone watching him. There was only the photo of Landlord Yingxing hanging behind him.
Perhaps, he thought, he had been mentally stressed recently, making him overly suspicious. Tang Ning shook his head, walking towards the left side of the hall. Just as he was about to leave, at the last moment, Tang Ning inexplicably turned back to take another look.
Under the cold light, he saw the eyes of Landlord Yingxing in the photo slowly moving to the left, locking onto his gaze.
Tang Ning's muscles tensed in an instant, suspecting he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the photo again; Landlord Yingxing's eyes had returned to the center.
It must be an illusion.
Tang Ning stepped over the threshold, the chilling sensation of being observed like a venomous snake creeping up his spine. Tang Ning told himself not to overthink, but he couldn't resist turning back-
He saw the lips of Landlord Yingxing in the photo slowly parting, revealing a eerie smile!
In that moment, a shivering coldness surged from the soles of Tang Ning's feet to his head. His scalp exploded, and he broke out in a cold sweat on the spot!
Panic-stricken, Tang Ning rushed out of the farewell hall. Trying to shake off the image, he went to a spot where the photo couldn't be seen and tremulously dialed Boss Hao's number. After hearing Tang Ning's breathless plea for help, Boss Hao calmly said, "It's fine. As long as you follow my instructions to properly offer sacrifices, there won't be any issues."
With Boss Hao's assurance, Tang Ning reluctantly calmed down.
Next, Tang Ning, along with the funeral procession, accompanied Landlord Yingxing's urn to the cemetery. The cemetery was close to the villa area, and as they climbed the hill, Tang Ning remembered Boss Hao's instructions: look back every seven steps. After Landlord Yingxing was buried, Tang Ning planned to take a handful of soil from the greenery beside the grave, as the well-maintained cemetery had tiles all around.
Because he needs to wait for everyone to leave before getting the soil.
Tang Ning waited for almost an hour; one by one, the others left, leaving only Lu Junchi standing in front of the grave.
Lu Junchi looked even more haggard than yesterday. The stubble of dark hair on his face was untrimmed, and he wore a black suit, black bow tie, and black leather shoes, engulfed in a somber black from head to toe, exuding a profound grief.
"Tang Ning," Lu Junchi gazed at Landlord Yingxing's grave, speaking slowly, "There are things I don't know if Yingxing ever told you. I believe he didn't. Although he appears to be someone who talks a lot, he guards some secrets more securely than anyone else."
Tang Ning felt bewildered.
"During the time when you and Yingxing were quarreling, he experienced a series of strange incidents. At night, he would hear the cries of a strange woman while sleeping. This voice, even with earplugs and noise-canceling headphones, couldn't be blocked. It seemed to resonate in his mind."
"When he was in the elevator, the doors would open and close for no reason, and then he would hear the overload warning."
"During his shower, the water from the showerhead turned red. Despite being a short-haired guy, the pipes in his home were often clogged with long black hair."
"Perhaps these are ordinary things in life. At first, when he told me, I thought he was just talking nonsense, especially considering his habit of not being serious."
"Then, one day, when I went to his rented place to find him, I saw him strangling himself. He seemed determined to strangle himself alive." Lu Junchi lowered his voice, "Tang Ning, strange, isn't it? How could someone strangle themselves? He nearly died in front of me."
"I took him to the hospital for an examination, but it was ineffective. Later, I consulted some masters, but they couldn't help either. Then, Yingxing broke up with you over the phone. I watched him make that call, and his voice was laughing throughout, but you know what?"
"He was laughing while crying."
Tang Ning was stunned. With Lu Junchi's narrative, a bone-chilling sense of desecration crept through the words. The image of the eerie smiling photo in the farewell hall seemed to float before Tang Ning's eyes. If that photo could shed tears of blood, it probably would have appeared as a crying smile.
Lu Junchi continued, "Yingxing told me he didn't want to involve you in such mysterious things."
"After some time, maybe due to a powerful new master, he got rid of those things. Unfortunately, by that time, you had a new boyfriend, and your connection with him was severed."
"I'm telling you all this without any ulterior motive. The person is already dead, returning to dust and soil. I just don't want his feelings for you to be buried like dust."
After saying these words, Lu Junchi turned and left, leaving Tang Ning alone in the cemetery.
The wind blew through the open cemetery, emitting a faint, mournful sigh. Even in broad daylight, Tang Ning felt a refreshing chill.
Was it Yingxing's obsession?
Is that why he refuses to leave even in death?
Tang Ning felt extremely anxious, especially considering the next thing he had to do: take soil from the grave.
If he were the "Tang Ning" from a storyline, he might be moved by the ex-boyfriend's deep feelings. However, Tang Ning didn't have much emotion towards Yingxing; at most, he felt guilt. Suddenly learning so much about this deep affection made him feel suffocated.
"I, I will definitely burn more paper offerings for you in the future," Tang Ning nervously said, uttering some apologetic words. Then, he opened his bag, took out a small shovel and a plastic bag, and stealthily began to collect soil. As he collected the soil, that feeling of being watched spread over him once again.
Tang Ning knew that there was also a photo of Yingxing on the gravestone.
Was the Yingxing in that photo also looking at him with a sidelong glance? Did the pale face show a mysterious smile? Would blood tears flow from the photo?
Tang Ning didn't want to think about it, but the more he tried not to, the more uncontrollably his mind wandered into those thoughts.
With the shovel in his hand trembling uncontrollably, causing the soil to spill, Tang Ning dared not look at the grave of Lu Yingxing. He clenched his teeth, hastily scooped up a bit of soil, sealed the bag, and swiftly left.
In the silent cemetery, Tang Ning's disordered footsteps echoed through the air.
Shh, shh, shh.
Shh, shh, shh.
As he walked, the footsteps suddenly became irregular, as if there was someone else walking behind Tang Ning.
A cool breeze brushed over Tang Ning's neck, chilling enough to penetrate flesh and blow into the bone gaps. Tang Ning shivered, his walk turning into a run. He heard his own hurried footsteps, thumping, thumping, thumping. With his rapid sprint, another shadow-like sound accompanied him.
That thing started running too!
Tang Ning's soles turned icy; it seemed like something was stepping on the back of his heels with every step.
What should he do? What should he do?
His heartbeat accelerated incessantly, as if it would burst out of Tang Ning's chest. He ran until he could barely catch his breath. His legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead. As his speed slowed, the chilling sensation approached, creeping up on Tang Ning, step by step, like a tide.
An exceptionally familiar feeling, similar to the time he went to find Old Liu in the neighborhood, carrying Lu Yingxing's body up the stairs. It was the same bone-chilling cold.
In his blurred vision, Tang Ning saw an old man emerging from the forest next to the cemetery. He wore a Zhongshan suit and shouted at Tang Ning with a stern face, "No running in the cemetery!"
When this old man appeared, the cold sensation receded like a tide. Tang Ning stopped, feeling dizzy, almost collapsing.
The old man walked up to Tang Ning, reaching out to pat his shoulders.
Tang Ning, who was initially weak, felt revitalized after a few pats from the old man. He heard the stern words, "Next time, run more slowly. Don't let your soul run away!"
This seemingly unsympathetic old man appeared like the most amiable person to Tang Ning at this moment. He quickly said, "Uncle, can I go down the mountain with you?"
The old man nodded.
Tang Ning walked down the mountain shoulder to shoulder with the old man, realizing that the old man's steps were nimble, walking with ease. When they reached the exit of the cemetery, the old man stopped.
Tang Ning paused, turned around, and saw the old man heading back towards the cemetery. "Aren't you leaving with me?"
The old man replied sternly, "I am the cemetery caretaker."
