Ghosts waiting for a bus

The yellow paper figure was gone!

When Liu Yunbo first gave me the yellow paper figure, I hadn't thought much of it. I had simply carried it in my pocket every day.

But after hearing the old security guard's story from ten years ago, discovering it was missing struck me like a bolt from the blue!

I hurriedly asked the old security guard:

"Sir, was that incident with A Hundred Ghosts Cry at the Door caused by that yellow paper figure?"

The old security guard thought for a moment before saying quietly:

"Everything happened so fast back then that I never asked my old friend for the details, but it definitely had something to do with it!"

Curious, Little Six asked:

"Sir, that fire burned your face like this. Did anything happen to your old friend?"

The old security guard sighed.

"How could he have come out unscathed? He gouged out his own eye, all for me. He's been living in 2386 Residential Compound ever since the fire. I've never had the face to visit him!"

Bun Head looked rather impressed and asked:

"That friend of yours really understood what mattered. What's his name? I'd like to pay him a visit sometime."

The old security guard nodded and said:

"That would be good. If you see him, don't forget to let me know how he's doing. His name is Liu Qingzhu!"

Both Little Six and Bun Head's eyes widened in surprise at the name Liu Qingzhu.

Bun Head clapped his hands and said with a smile:

"So it's Elder Liu! His reputation spread far and wide ages ago for taking in that evil bell. He even helped me out a while back!"

I had already guessed it was Old Liu, so hearing the security guard say his name didn't surprise me.

After talking some more about what had happened back then and giving the old security guard a few hundred yuan, we went our separate ways.

On the way back, Bun Head received a call from one of his underlings in the development zone. Hearing that something had happened there, he hurried back.

I told Little Six to head back first and rushed to 2386 Residential Compound to find Old Liu.

Now that the matter of the fire had been cleared up, there was no reason to harbor any suspicion of Old Liu. He had willingly sacrificed one of his eyes to save someone.

For that selfless love alone, I didn't care what he wanted to do, what he wanted, or what he hoped to gain. No question about it, I would support him!

But Old Liu's door was shut tight, and there was rubbish outside. It looked as though he hadn't been home for quite some time.

With his bad legs, Old Liu shouldn't have been able to get far on his own. Where could he have gone?

I returned to the dorm in a state of anxiety, turning the old security guard's story over and over in my mind the whole way. A Hundred Ghosts Cry at the Door-certain death within three days!

Now that the yellow paper figure was gone, what would happen?

Over the next few days, I went to 2386 Residential Compound every day to look for Old Liu, but he never came back.

I spent every day on edge, especially at night, terrified of hearing noises, terrified of hearing crying!

Perhaps I was being oversensitive, but in my dazed state, I really did seem to encounter all sorts of strange things.

First I lost my vehicle keys, only for someone to inexplicably find them in the women's restroom. There were countless incidents like that!

Little Six noticed I wasn't doing well and didn't have me drive for the next few days. After work, he often suggested having a drink, and I gradually developed the bad habit of drinking before bed.

Without alcohol to numb me, I could no longer fall asleep.

That night, Little Six returned from driving and discovered that I had drunk all the alcohol in the dorm. He had meant to reassure me that we could buy more tomorrow, but seeing my wretched state, he couldn't bear it and finally agreed to go out with me to buy some.

It was past one in the morning, and the nearby supermarkets had long since closed.

The two of us wandered down the street, planning to buy alcohol at a twenty-four-hour convenience store farther from work.

There was no moon that night. The wind was strong, and the sky was dark. Little Six and I pulled our clothes tight around us and waited by the road for ages, but couldn't get a taxi.

When we reached the Tianjin Street intersection on foot, I saw a man and a woman with a little boy standing beneath the bus stop sign across the street, waiting for a bus.

I stared at them curiously and asked Little Six:

"Little Six, if I remember right, there aren't any night buses around Tianjin Street, are there?"

Little Six nodded and said:

"Your brain really isn't working anymore. Never mind Tianjin Street-ours is the only route in the whole Riverside District that runs past midnight!"

I tilted my head, looking at the family of three across the street. If they weren't waiting for a bus at the bus stop in the middle of the night, what were they doing?

After we had walked past, Little Six noticed me constantly looking back. He turned to glance behind us too and asked:

"What's wrong? What do you keep looking back at?"

"Look at that family of three across the street. The wind's so cold tonight, and the buses have stopped running. What are they standing there for?"

Little Six looked at me in puzzlement, then turned to look at the bus stop behind us.

He patted me nervously and said:

"Come on, buddy, leave them alone. Let them do whatever they want. Let's walk a little farther. If we still can't get a taxi, we'll go home!"

I nodded and kept walking into the wind.

After another three to five minutes, I looked back to see whether any taxis were coming.

That look scared me senseless. How was that family of three still standing across the street from us?!

I started getting scared and hurriedly turned to Little Six.

"How is that family of three still behind us? We've walked so far. They're following us. Something doesn't feel right!"

This time, Little Six didn't even turn around. He moved closer to me and said:

"It's fine, buddy. You know how well I can fight. They wouldn't dare rob us!"

I clicked my tongue and said:

"Are you an idiot? Don't you get what I mean? That family of three..."

Before I could finish, Little Six cut me off, shouting:

"Even if there were fucking thirteen of them, or a hundred and thirty, they wouldn't stand a chance against Master Six!"

Ever since I'd known Little Six, he had always been an honest, well-behaved fellow. This was truly the first time I'd heard him swear!

But I had to admit, his confident manner really did bolster my courage.

We kept walking. Several times, I tried to turn around, but Little Six stopped me each time, telling me quietly:

"Don't look!"

We walked like that for over half an hour, yet not a single vehicle passed us on the road.

I wanted to return to the dorm, but how could we go back now?

Suddenly, I heard a vehicle behind us and hurriedly turned to look.

That one look sent cold sweat pouring down my back!

The family of three who had originally been standing across the street had somehow moved to within ten meters of us.

They still wore those same indifferent expressions, standing by the road as though waiting for a bus.

I grabbed Little Six and shouted, "Little Six, run!"

Seeing how frightened I looked, Little Six didn't ask any questions. He charged forward with me.

We ran another block before stopping, panting with exhaustion. I steadied myself, gritted my teeth, and looked back again.

I nearly died of fright!

The family of three was now less than five meters away. I could see their faces clearly-white, deathly white!

Strangely, they didn't seem to be paying any attention to me. They still stood by the road as if waiting for a bus, as though they had never moved at all!

I completely panicked. The more we ran, the closer they followed. Fuck it, we might as well turn around and fight!

Little Six asked what was wrong. Through gritted teeth, I said quietly:

"Less than five meters!"

Little Six still didn't turn around. He grabbed me and kept running. After a while, we happened to pass the narrow alley at the Great East Gate.

Without a second thought, Little Six pulled me into the alley. The late-night restaurant was lit up as usual. Both of us gasping for breath, we opened the door and went inside.

The owner was standing behind the counter. Seeing us come in, he walked over with a smile and a menu.

He asked softly:

"Why were you running so hard?"

Still shaken, I hurriedly looked back. The family of three was now standing outside the restaurant, staring straight at me.

They hadn't followed us inside!

I took a deep breath and found a table with Little Six. As though completely unaffected, he ordered two dishes, two bottles of alcohol, and a bowl of noodles.

I was so angry I nearly laughed and snapped:

"Little Six, you're way too relaxed! You can still think about eating? There are three people standing outside!"

To my surprise, Little Six gave a guileless smile and said:

"Buddy, you're just scaring yourself. I haven't seen anything this whole time. I went along with you and ran like crazy. I've been a good enough friend, haven't I? I need to eat something to recover, right?"

What Little Six said shocked me.

"What did you say? You looked back too, but didn't see that family of three waiting for a bus? If you didn't see them, why were you swearing?"

Little Six shook his head.

"There wasn't a soul there. I'm not lying. You've been jumpy these past few days. I shouted that to give you some courage!"

I lost my temper, pointed at the entrance, and shouted:

"They were practically right in our faces out on the street, and you didn't see them? They're still standing outside right now. Look!"

As I spoke, I looked toward the entrance too.

They were gone!

While I was still staring in shock, the owner came over with the noodles and beer. He set them down, looked at me, and said:

"This fellow isn't lying. I believe you!"

Little Six said teasingly:

"You believe him, boss?"

The middle-aged man nodded, looking at me as he said quietly:

"You ran into ghosts waiting for a bus!"

"Ghosts waiting for a bus?"

I looked at him in surprise.

The middle-aged man chuckled and continued:

"When ghosts wait for a bus, the living mustn't look. With every glance, they draw three measures closer!"

I frowned. Leaving aside what this middle-aged man might be, what he said really was accurate!

They had indeed drawn much closer every time I looked back.

"I looked at least three times. When I head back later, will they keep following me?"

The middle-aged man opened the beer in his hand and lowered his head as he said:

"It's fine now. Don't worry!"

With that, he turned and went back to the kitchen to cook.

By the time the dishes arrived, I had lost all appetite.

Thinking back over the owner's words, I drank the "ghost beer," only half convinced, and watched Little Six finish both dishes and a bowl of noodles.

After the meal, Little Six walked back with me, burping.

Fortunately, we came across a taxi by the roadside and made it back to the company entrance without incident.

I finally breathed a sigh of relief. That terrifying night had truly left my heart pounding. Just as we were about to enter the compound, I heard a vehicle honking behind me.

I looked back and saw a bus coming down the road.

How could there be a bus at this hour?

I stood at the entrance, staring at the bus. Just as it passed me,

I made out its front in the glare of its high beams.

The two digits glowing red on it shocked me beyond words:

Route 13.