The New Year's Day Ghost Fetus (23)

"Mr. Zhang, as far as we know, you were the Front Office Manager at Junli Hotel from 2000 to 2002. Do you recall the names Pan Ping, Shi Wenshan, Wei Yinan, and Zhou Guangcheng?"

"..."

"Mr. Zhang, please answer the question."

"..."

"Mr. Zhang, to be frank, on New Year's Day this year, a woman checked into room 809. She is now abnormally pregnant."

"...No wonder you're asking about this..."

"You must have guessed this, right? That's why you contacted us so quickly."

"...Yes...I did guess. You're right, I was the Front Office Manager during those two years. In '01, a young man named Pan Ping booked room 809 on New Year's Day, planning to propose. By the time I knew, it was already New Year's morning. His room was booked, and he had already arrived. My senior also chose New Year's Day for his proposal, in '99. That was the hotel's first New Year's Day. Back then, there were no fireworks on Binjiang Avenue or Luoqu River, and people in China weren't accustomed to romantic nights for two. My senior had studied abroad, so he chose that day. I even told my senior then that after his proposal, we could have the publicity department create a news story, and perhaps our hotel could start a tradition of a New Year's Day couple's suite, like hotels abroad... When I heard about Pan Ping, that's all I thought about. My senior had been dead for over a year by then..."

"Around 3 AM on January 2nd, Shi Wenshan left the hotel in a disheveled state. Do you know about this?"

"I found out as soon as I went to work the next day. Junli's management was very strict, and those who dealt directly with guests were all young newcomers. They didn't know about my senior's past. After my senior died, few people mentioned him. But that day, hearing those young people talk, all of us older employees remembered my senior. One of my colleagues even said that perhaps the room had bad feng shui and wasn't suitable for proposals... I felt a bit suffocated and was in a bad mood for several days afterward. The cleaning lady found the ring and handed it to us. When I saw it, my head just went blank..."

"Was it the ring your senior bought originally?"

"Yes, it was that very ring. I thought it might be the same style, or perhaps another reason. I even called my uncle that day. He said he had never seen the ring and that my senior might have disposed of it. My senior might have sold the ring, and then Pan Ping bought it, but I... felt uneasy... I don't know why, I just felt very uneasy."

"Do you know about Shi Wenshan jumping into the river and committing suicide?"

"The reporters came to the hotel, how could I not know?"

"On New Year's Day in '02, Wei Yinan and Zhou Guangcheng checked in. The next day, they said that the incident involving Wei Yinan was resolved by you, is that correct?"

"Yes...In '02, I wasn't paying much attention to these matters anymore. My senior's affairs, the ring incident, I didn't care much about them. When those two checked in and caused trouble, I just treated it as normal hotel work and handled it according to normal procedures."

"But the compensation you provided was substantial."

"..."

"Normally, a free stay and monetary compensation are the most basic and extensive measures. Yet, you gave them many gifts, even booked them tickets to attractions, and even bought them birth control pills. This method is no longer like normal compensation."

"I don't know. I really didn't know what I was thinking back then, I just did it. It wasn't until they complained about the child being noisy that I realized... realized what I was doing... I... I wanted to see, to confirm... I thought I had forgotten, but I hadn't. When I heard them complaining, I knew my thoughts were correct. There were no children around them, that child's laughter... And what they encountered on New Year's Day... I... I think, my senior... probably..."

"They left afterward."

"Yes, they left. I bought them train tickets, so I knew their destination, and then I waited..."

"You waited and saw the local news. The incident with Wei Yinan caused a huge stir."

"..."

"After that, you resigned."

"...I didn't know what to do. How could such a thing happen? But it... I couldn't deny it. I wished I was just overthinking. In any case, I couldn't stay at the hotel anymore."

"Your senior's name was Xiao Zheng, right?"

"You..."

"We found out both his parents have passed away. Do you know where his grave is?"

"What do you want to do?"

"You didn't know what to do, but we do."

"I... I'll write down the address for you."

"Thank you. We hope you can also tell us the name and contact information of his girlfriend. Do you know this?"

"I only know her name, Xu Ling."

"Thank you."

May 23, 2004: Surveyed Xiao Zheng's grave, confirmed no abnormalities.

May 24, 2004: Obtained surveillance records of the client and her husband Wang Fangjie. Video file 02320040523.avi. Audio file 02320040523.wav.

"...Here, the two of them leave home and go to the station."

"Possession has occurred."

"But, boss, Yu Meng doesn't look like she's being coerced?"

"Idiot, this shows Xiao Zheng is disguised. He's very cunning."

"I'm saying, this might not be Xiao Zheng, right? Maybe it's an evil spirit on that wedding ring."

"When will you ever make any progress, idiot? Yu Meng and Wei Yinan didn't see the ring. How could the ring be the problem?"

"It's Xiao Zheng's ghost that possessed her. I saw his face."

"Oh."

"They transferred trains, got off. There's no more surveillance from here on."

"The direction they're going..."

"That way leads to Weishan Village 1 to 7."

"That's so many households! Can't you pinpoint which complex they entered?"

"This isn't something I can determine just by trying harder or thinking harder."

"Can we determine it from their route? How many bus routes from their home go to Weishan Road?"

"Hmm, that's a good idea."

May 25, 2004: Narrow down the suspects to the client and Xiao Zheng's ghost, and visit communities Weishan Five, Seven, and Eight.

May 27, 2004: Discovered Xu Ling's contact information, but she refused to be contacted.

May 28, 2004: Confirmed the client and Xiao Zheng's ghost are in Weishan Five. Audio file 02320040528.wav.

"...Oh, oh! I've seen these two people. They just moved in. I saw the woman the first day they arrived, and then I didn't see her go out again. The man said she was unwell. I see him often, though. He doesn't go to work, just buys groceries and cooks every day, taking care of the woman. Maybe she just got out of the hospital after a serious illness?"

"Excuse me, where do they live?"

"Who are you people? Why are you asking this?"

"She's my sister! They've been away from home for a long time, and we've been looking for a long time to find them here!"

"Oh, I see. Then I'll take you there."

"Is the man home now?"

"Huh?"

"Is he home at this time, or did he go out to buy groceries?"

"Now that you mention it... it feels like I haven't seen him go out to buy groceries in a long time."