Seeing Tang Yao gave me a real fright. It was past two in the morning, after all.
And Tang Yao was still wearing that red dress tonight!
I frowned and said coldly:
"Nothing fortunate about it. Out in a red dress at two in the morning-could you make it any more obvious you're a ghost?"
Tang Yao couldn't help laughing at that.
"You're funny, young man. Why do you insist I'm dead? You were the one who saved me."
Little Six was getting confused listening beside me. He said with a chuckle:
"You've got it wrong, beautiful. I saved you, not him, didn't I?"
I wasn't in the mood to waste words with her. At this hour, in this place, dressed like that-enough said!
I grabbed Little Six and left. As we got into a cab by the road, Tang Yao called out:
"The noodles were good, weren't they?"
On the way, Little Six started earnestly arguing with me again, bent on explaining for Tang Yao that the person who had died in front of the bronze bell wasn't her.
I no longer had the energy to guess whether she was dead or alive. My top priority now was finding that Mr. He.
The next morning, Old Wu came looking for me again.
After seeing me, he asked secretively:
"Brother, you told me Guan Jun was in Tangwazi. Are you sure?"
I thought for a moment and said:
"Yes. He was there when I left, but it's been two days now, so I don't know anymore!"
Old Wu nodded and said:
"All right, I need to go find him!"
With that, Old Wu turned and opened the door, then suddenly remembered something. He looked back and asked:
"Oh, and brother, don't think I'm nagging, but let me ask you again. That book in the little two-story building back then-you really burned it, right?"
Old Wu had brought up that old book again. I couldn't help asking:
"Brother Wu, why bring up that book all of a sudden? What does it have to do with you going to find Guan Jun?"
Old Wu sighed and said:
"Guan Jun always liked studying strange, sinister things. It got worse and worse, until he actually took an interest in dead people. When we brought that evil book out of Demon Cave back then, I refused to give it to him no matter what. He's hated me to the bone ever since!"
My curiosity grew stronger, and I couldn't help asking:
"What book was it, exactly, that he wanted it so badly?"
"An evil book called Seven Essentials of Corpse Driving. That book is seriously sinister. Didn't you see all the rotten fish in that room? The filth was there to suppress its evil!"
Old Wu had one foot out the door after saying that, but he still turned back uneasily and asked:
"You really burned it, right?"
I nodded and said:
"I burned it!"
Only then did Old Wu leave, reassured.
This book was getting more and more interesting. Three people had given me three different names!
Old Liu said it was a feng shui book called Tales of Yin and Yang Dwellings. Bai Fan called it Wondrous Art of Dream Stealing. Now Old Wu had come up with Seven Essentials of Corpse Driving. Which of them was right?
Old Wu had barely left when the old man at the gatehouse called me, saying an old man was waiting outside for me.
When I heard an old man was looking for me, I figured it was most likely Old Liu. I hurriedly got myself ready and went out to meet him.
Sure enough, the man standing outside was Old Liu!
Old Liu was as cold and aloof as before when he saw me. Frowning, he said in a low voice:
"What kind of memory do you have? Didn't I tell you to bring me the book once you got back to the city? Did you forget?"
Old Liu had come for the book!
If Old Wu hadn't just mentioned its title, I might have handed that battered book over without hesitation.
But now the book had another name, and it might even be an evil book!
There had been plenty of suspicious things about Old Liu on that trip to Tangwazi. He was definitely keeping secrets from me. If this book really was the Seven Essentials of Corpse Driving Old Wu had mentioned, I absolutely couldn't give it to him before I figured him out.
"Old Liu, my girlfriend took the book to play around with. She's away on business these next few days. I'll bring it to you when she gets back!"
Old Liu frowned at that.
"How could you just let someone play around with such a precious book? Get it back right away!"
I agreed and said:
"She's abroad. I'll tell her to look after the book. Don't worry!"
Old Liu sighed after hearing that and turned to leave, disappointed.
Then I remembered the Mr. He Old Wu had mentioned and hurriedly asked Old Liu:
"Oh, Old Liu, do you know a really capable Mr. He here in the city?"
Old Liu stopped and looked back at me.
"Mr. He? What do you want with him?"
Seeing that Old Liu seemed to know him, I said happily:
"I heard he has a way to get me off Route 13!"
Leaning on his stick, Old Liu pondered for a moment.
"I do know a Mr. He in these circles. I don't know if he's the one you mean."
I was overjoyed. Old Liu was so capable, and the people in his circles were all people who knew how to capture ghosts and subdue demons. There was a good chance it was the same man!
Old Liu slowly continued:
"No hurry. Once your girlfriend comes back from abroad, bring me the book, and I'll take you to see him!"
With that, Old Liu turned and left, leaning on his battered stick.
A trade?
Old Liu's words stunned me. There really was no help or affection in this world that asked for nothing in return. If that was how it was, I had even more doubts about Old Liu.
Although I was anxious to find Mr. He, my first step still had to be figuring out whether Old Liu was worth trusting!
I took the bus out that night and only saw a text from Little Six after reaching the paper mill at midnight.
"Bun Head's here. Come have a few drinks with us when you get back!"
We hadn't been in touch since I helped him in the development zone. Why had he suddenly come over?
I didn't dwell on it and drove back.
When I reached the company, Little Six and Bun Head had timed it just right and were waiting for me at the gate.
After I parked, Bun Head threw an arm around me and pulled me over.
"How's it going, buddy? Been doing well lately?"
The guy was tall and burly. When he pulled me into that embrace, I nearly fell over.
"What brings you here? Need something?"
Bun Head lit a cigarette and said with a smile:
"Can't I come catch up without needing something? I still haven't thanked you for helping me!"
Little Six chimed in beside us.
"Let's not stand here talking. I found out about a new restaurant. It's small, but the food tastes fantastic. Let's go have a few drinks!"
Although Bun Head was a gangster, he had the hearty generosity of a northeastern man. Even knowing it was a small restaurant, he didn't mind at all. He roughly threw his arm around me again and shouted, "Let's go!"
Extremely reluctantly, I was dragged back to that alley entrance. The restaurant deep inside the alley still had its lights on.
Bun Head got out of the cab, glanced inside, and asked:
"It's pitch-black in there. Where's the restaurant?"
Little Six pointed at the lit storefront inside the alley with a guileless smile and said:
"It's the place with the lights on. Their noodles are damn good!"
Bun Head frowned and craned his neck, looking thoroughly puzzled as he said:
"What bullshit are you talking? It's fucking pitch-black. What restaurant with its lights on?"
Bun Head's words stunned me.
Though the alley was narrow and dark, the restaurant's LED lights at the far end were still glaringly bright.
"Bun Head, you can't see the lights up ahead?"
Bun Head drew his head back and gave me a strange look.
"Buddy, are you telling me ghost stories in the middle of the night?"
Little Six found it unbelievable too and urged him to walk closer so he could see it.
The three of us walked into the alley side by side and soon reached the restaurant entrance.
The restaurant looked the same as on our previous two visits. There weren't many customers inside, and the big fan hanging from the ceiling spun feebly.
Little Six said with a guileless smile:
"Well? This place may be small, but the food is first-rate!"
He even gave a thumbs-up after saying that.
Bun Head's eyes nearly popped out. He raised a hand and pointed ahead, his face contorted as he looked at Little Six and me and said:
"Have you two lost your fucking minds? Huh? This is a fucking wall! Where's the restaurant? Where are the noodles?"
I looked where Bun Head was pointing. He was clearly pointing at the restaurant's glass door, yet he was calling it a wall!
I seemed to understand something, and goosebumps slowly began spreading all over me.
Little Six, still oblivious, kept arguing with him:
"Bun Head, did all that fighting you do every day damage your eyes? You can't see something this big?"
I glanced through the glass door into the restaurant. The lights were on, and it was very bright inside. The owner stood at the counter, looking at me with a faint smile.
I grabbed the two of them, who were still arguing, and headed out of the alley. Once outside, I panted heavily, still shaken.
The two of them were still accusing each other of being blind!
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, I flagged down a taxi and asked to go to Nanjing Road Food Street.
The three of us got in, but the driver still wouldn't pull away.
A little irritated, I asked the driver:
"Go on, drive! Nanjing Road Food Street!"
The driver looked puzzled as he asked:
"Aren't you still waiting for someone to get in?"
I frowned and said:
"Sir, all three of us are sitting inside. What do you mean, waiting for someone?"
The driver spoke again, sounding confused:
"That middle-aged man following you three-isn't he with you?"
Horrified, I looked outside the car door.
There was no one there!