Worries and Reservations

When I heard what Fatty said, I hesitated too.

Ye Qing from Greenleaf had only said that the kimono was an old garment that had passed through several owners and might have accumulated a little too much yin energy. But she'd never said it had killed anyone. If they hadn't noticed anything, what could an ordinary person like me possibly know?

Still, for some reason, the moment I saw Chen Xiaoqiu turn around in the video, it felt as if a cold wind had blown across my back. Goosebumps rose all over my body, and I broke out in a cold sweat. I immediately thought of the photo Greenleaf had taken, and of the strange scene I'd witnessed that night.

I lowered my head and looked at the photo again. There was no one standing on either side of the cherry tree. The figures I'd seen that day really did seem to have been an optical illusion.

"Qi-ge, you're overthinking it, aren't you? Besides, they burned that garment. It can't be the same one." Fatty patted me reassuringly.

Skinny nodded vigorously in agreement with Fatty.

My idea really was far-fetched, and even I wasn't entirely convinced.

Although I'd read the files and believed the clients hadn't lied, the people at Greenleaf themselves had said that some supposed paranormal events might simply be caused by poor mental health or some other factor that led people to mistake things for ghosts. I'd never seen a ghost in my life, so naturally I doubted whether they existed. Even if I got caught up in a story someone told, if something happened to me, I definitely wouldn't jump to thinking it was a ghost. I'd look for some other explanation.

The most reasonable explanation for Chen Xiaoqiu's illness wasn't that the garment was haunted. It was that she was too hard on herself, working three jobs and exhausting herself.

Fatty didn't believe it, Skinny didn't want to believe it, and Guo Yujie didn't have any particular opinion. After hesitating for a while, I returned the phone to Skinny and closed Greenleaf's file.

"I'll ask Chen Xiaoqiu when she comes in," I said.

Chen Xiaoqiu came to work the very next day. This time, we all noticed that her makeup was much heavier than it had been the day before. She was probably trying to hide how tired she looked.

I spoke with Chen Xiaoqiu and urged her not to push herself so hard, telling her to put the Qingzhou Manufacturing Bureau matter aside for now. Chen Xiaoqiu wasn't unreasonable. Maybe her family had talked to her the day before, too, because she agreed as soon as I said it.

The three of them pretended to work, all ears as they listened to our conversation.

I glanced at them and awkwardly cleared my throat. "Um, Chen Xiaoqiu, A Rui saw an advertisement online yesterday for a play at the drama academy."

Skinny dropped the act and turned to glare at me, gesturing emphatically.

With her back to Skinny, Chen Xiaoqiu couldn't see him, and she didn't turn around to look. She simply assured me, "It won't interfere with my work."

"Oh, okay... Just don't tire yourself out too much." I found it hard to bring up the subject.

If I'd been one of the people from Greenleaf, I probably could've made up some excuse and asked about the kimono. But I had no idea how to steer the conversation toward it. If I asked, it would seem like I believed the kimono was haunted. But if I didn't, and something really happened to Chen Xiaoqiu, how could I live with myself?

Guo Yujie was too straightforward to have reservations like mine. Sitting right in front of me, she turned around and asked Chen Xiaoqiu, "Xiaoqiu, that kimono of yours is so pretty. Is it a costume from the drama academy?"

"Yes," Chen Xiaoqiu answered curtly.

"Where did you buy it? I want one, too." Guo Yujie blinked innocently.

The three of us men all looked at Guo Yujie, our expressions saying the same thing. If she ever went out to buy a kimono, the sun would have to rise in the west! You couldn't even make up a lie that ridiculous!

Whether Chen Xiaoqiu was simply a serious person or hadn't seen through Guo Yujie's true nature in the day and a half since they'd met, she answered earnestly, "I don't know."

"Could you ask for me?" Guo Yujie continued to blink innocently.

"Sure," Chen Xiaoqiu agreed.

Guo Yujie thanked her with a grin, then secretly flashed me a victory sign and gave me a disdainful look.

With Chen Xiaoqiu back at work, we got serious again that day. At noon, Guo Yujie dragged Chen Xiaoqiu along to eat with her, and the office atmosphere wasn't as tense as it had been on the first day.

Chen Xiaoqiu was incredibly conscientious. The very next day, she gave Guo Yujie an answer.

"A senior who graduated from the drama club bought that kimono online years ago. It's been so long that she can't find the store anymore."

"I see..." Guo Yujie didn't know whether that answer was any use to me, so she looked at me.

I had no idea what to do either. Should I investigate further or not? It all came back to whether I believed it or not.

Unable to make up my mind, I let the matter drop for the time being.

While Chen Xiaoqiu was in the restroom, Guo Yujie shoved me, knocking me off my chair again.

"What's with you? What are you going to do?" Guo Yujie was always direct and decisive, and she couldn't stand people who waffled.

I climbed back up and muttered glumly, "You wouldn't understand."

"What wouldn't I understand? You just read a few files from some agency. What was in them that scared you?" Guo Yujie reached for the file on my desk.

I raised a hand to stop her. "That's enough. Leave this alone."

"What do you mean, leave it alone? Xiaoqiu's still wearing that kimono! If there's really something wrong with it, wouldn't that put her in danger?" Guo Yujie exclaimed.

Fatty tried to smooth things over. "Qi-ge, this isn't like you. What are you worried about?"

What was I worried about? I furrowed my brow. It was just a gut feeling that if I took this step, there'd be no turning back, and I'd have to say goodbye to my peaceful, carefree life as it was now. But that made no sense. Even if there was something wrong with that kimono, would I really become someone like the people at Greenleaf, taking cases and dealing with paranormal events?

"How about this? We tell Chen Xiaoqiu about it and let her decide for herself. Even if there is something wrong with the garment, we can't do anything about it. For something like that, wouldn't you have to find a temple to perform rites and send it on its way?" Skinny said.

"What are you telling me?" Chen Xiaoqiu stood in the doorway.

The four of us fell silent for two seconds. Guo Yujie was quick to speak and told her the whole story.

Chen Xiaoqiu showed no sign of surprise. After listening to Guo Yujie, she looked at me. "Could I see that photo?"

I took the photo out of the file.

Chen Xiaoqiu examined it closely, then put it down. "It's exactly the same kimono."

"Huh?" The four of us were stunned.

"That kimono must be an antique, handmade from start to finish. The people in the drama club seemed unaware of that and hadn't stored it properly, but the kimono was in perfect condition, without a single flaw," Chen Xiaoqiu said.

"You... sensed that something was wrong with the kimono?" I asked, startled and uncertain.

Chen Xiaoqiu nodded.

An eerie silence settled over the office.

"Then why are you still wearing it?" Skinny broke the silence, staring at Chen Xiaoqiu in disbelief.

"The drama club doesn't have any other costumes. And even if I suspect it's stolen, I have no proof," Chen Xiaoqiu replied calmly.

Skinny was at a loss for words.

Only then did I understand that what I meant by "something wrong" and what Chen Xiaoqiu understood by "something wrong" were entirely different things.