Cold and Aloof Female Ghost, Little Ghost

Early the next morning, Gu Song called, asking when I'd come to his place.

It was barely past eight—this guy was way too impatient.

I stepped out of my room and noticed Xu Qiuyan's door was open. I peeked inside; she wasn't there, and her bed was neatly made. Where had she gone so early?

Just as I was wondering, the door opened and she walked in carrying soy milk and fried dough sticks.

"I got you breakfast. Go wash up and come eat." She set the food on the table, then sat on the couch and turned on the TV.

"You're up early."

She glanced back at me. "I go for a run every day."

Only then did I notice she was wearing a tracksuit, with sweat still beading in her hair.

I said, "We'll head to Gu Song's place later."

She gave an "oh" and kept her eyes on the TV. I was actually hinting that she might want to shower first.

Seeing no reaction, I went to wash up and then started eating breakfast.

While I ate, she went into the bathroom, closed the door, and I heard the sound of water.

Before long, she came out, drying her hair with a towel.

I didn't say anything, just focused on my breakfast.

She went back to her room and changed into a pink short-sleeved T-shirt, light-colored jeans, and heeled sandals. Her hair was already blow-dried, casually tied into a ponytail. She looked just like a female student from our school.

"Xiao Bai, did you dream last night?"

I'd just finished eating and was clearing the table. At her question, I shook my head. I hadn't dreamed at all last night—slept straight through till dawn. Strange, but I hadn't had any dreams these past couple of days.

She said, "I had a dream."

For most people, dreaming might be an ordinary thing, but for us, it was different. Especially for her—dreams and reality often blurred together.

"What did you dream about?" I asked.

She pursed her lips. "I dreamed about you."

I was startled. She dreamed of me. I quickly asked what I was doing in the dream.

She thought for a moment. "You were trapped in a pitch-black room—couldn't see your hand in front of your face. I could feel your fear. I tried so hard to see where it was, but no matter what I did, it was useless." As she spoke, worry crept onto her face.

I knew she was concerned for me. I smiled lightly and patted her shoulder. "Don't overthink it. It's just a dream, right? Come on, we still need to go to Gu Song's place. It's pretty far, so I'll need you to drive."

"You're not going back to school?" she asked.

I said I'd skip it for now—Xie Yi had already notified the school anyway.

"You're finally here." Gu Song looked relieved when he saw us. His complexion was off, pale, almost anemic.

He must not have slept well last night, or maybe he hadn't rested in days. But yesterday, his face hadn't been this pale.

"Did something else happen?" I asked.

He invited us inside.

The house was a mess—seemed like most homes without a wife ended up this way.

I glanced around. The place was tastefully decorated, but books were piled everywhere. He and his wife must have both been book lovers.

"I saw her last night." Gu Song's voice had a strange tone, and his eyes darted around as he spoke.

Xu Qiuyan asked curiously, "Who did you see? Your wife?"

I'd already told her everything about Gu Song's situation, so that's why she asked.

Gu Song nodded. He said he really had seen his wife.

But his wife was dead. If he saw her, there was only one possibility—he'd seen a ghost.

"Did she say anything?" Xu Qiuyan pressed.

I watched Gu Song. He didn't seem to be faking it. Could he really have seen a ghost?

"She said she was murdered. She wants me to catch the killer and avenge her." Gu Song's voice choked up. "Xiao Bai, she died horribly—so horribly!"

He'd told me before—his wife was hit by a car, her head sliced clean off at an angle.

I nodded. "Did she tell you who the killer was?"

Gu Song shook his head. "I asked who would want to harm her, but she didn't say anything more. She vanished in an instant."

I frowned. I was starting to wonder if Gu Song had some mental issues. Either way, he didn't seem normal.

Just then, a voice whispered in my ear: "Ask him if his wife said anything else."

It was Duan Hongbin. That guy had shown up again—seemed he was interested in Gu Song's story too.

After I asked, Gu Song thought carefully. "Right. She mentioned a name—Zhuanghe. The captain I told you about."

Their last trip to Lop Nur was last year.

"What exactly did she say?" If Gu Song really had seen her, she wouldn't have brought up Zhuanghe for no reason. Yesterday, when Gu Song mentioned that captain, I'd felt something was off, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"She only said one thing: 'Go find Zhuanghe.'"

Go find Zhuanghe? What does that mean now?

"Where is this Zhuanghe right now?" Xu Qiuyan asked.

"He's from the northeast, lives in Liaoyang. I've never been there, I only have his phone number," Gu Song said.

Xu Qiuyan said, "Does he know about your wife's passing?"

"No, I didn't tell them. After all, they're just travel buddies. We'd only go on trips together once or twice a year at most, not much interaction otherwise."

I looked at Duan Hongbin. He'd sat down next to Gu Song at some point, studying him with a strange look in his eyes.

Xu Qiuyan leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Did he find something?"

I shook my head.

She smiled, a hint of mystery in her voice. "My friend is here too."

I instinctively glanced around but didn't see anyone.

"Strange!" Duan Hongbin said this to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"So much yin energy." His gaze shot to the spot beside Xu Qiuyan, and he furrowed his brow.

The moment he looked, I too saw a woman sitting right next to Xu Qiuyan.

The woman seemed two or three years older than us, with an added air of mature charm.

She was beautiful, wearing a white gauze dress with a vintage feel.

Almond-shaped eyes and delicate brows—a classic Eastern beauty.

But she was very aloof, as if she didn't care to acknowledge anyone at all.

Xu Qiuyan looked at me then, offering an apologetic smile, as if making amends for the woman's rudeness.

I suddenly grew curious about what kind of person this woman really was.

The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped significantly; even I felt a chill.

"A Soul Body. She's actually a Soul Body." Duan Hongbin showed a hint of surprise.

"What does that mean?"

"A ghost." Duan Hongbin's tone was flat, as if stating something ordinary.

Xu Qiuyan spoke up, "This matter with Gu Song's wife is mostly related to that Zhuanghe. It looks like we need to go meet him."

Go to the northeast? But we don't even know where the guy is.

She seemed to read my thoughts and said, "We can't find him, but someone can. Aren't Xie Yi and his people pretty capable?"

A word to the wise. She was right—Xie Yi had said Bureau Five, Section Nine was a special department with a lot of pull. Finding someone should be easy.

Suddenly Duan Hongbin spoke, "Let's check their bedroom."

I nodded, then said to Gu Song, "Mr. Gu, may I take a look around?"

Gu Song replied, "Feel free."

I stood up, first checking the kitchen and bathroom, then the guest room, and finally walked into his and his wife's bedroom.

The bedroom was dim, the curtains drawn.

Xu Qiuyan followed behind me and asked, "Why not open the curtains?"

Gu Song's expression shifted slightly before he said, "I'm afraid of light when I sleep."

Xu Qiuyan said nothing, stepping forward to pull the curtains open.

Gu Song cried out in alarm, "Don't! Please don't!"

Xu Qiuyan stopped, turned to look at him, suspicion in her eyes.

The woman said flatly, "There's a little ghost hiding in this room. If the curtains open, his soul will scatter."

I quickly said, "Qiuyan, forget it."

Duan Hongbin walked to the head of the bed and pointed at a small clay pot on the dressing table. "That little ghost is hiding in there."

"Mr. Gu, what's going on here? Does this little ghost have anything to do with your wife's death?"

As Xu Qiuyan asked, my gaze shifted to her friend, the aloof woman.

Duan Hongbin said that woman was a ghost, so it made perfect sense she could uncover this secret.

But I was a bit worried. Having a female ghost by Xu Qiuyan's side—could it affect her somehow?