Chapter 2

**002 The Female Ghost Visits**

Zhan Yi was startled by a sound and paused in his steps, turning his head to look. However, he found nothing at the door, which only made him more alert. He was certain that he had locked all the doors earlier, so how could one have opened on its own?

He walked to the door and was taken aback by the three crimson characters on it, which read, "You came." The font was identical to what he had seen on the last door on the second floor.

Zhan Yi frowned, now completely convinced that something was amiss in the house. If he hadn't seen clearly the last time, he was absolutely certain that there were no words on this door earlier.

He couldn't figure out what was happening, but he wasn't afraid. He stepped into the room and looked around, finding that nothing had changed.

However, as he turned, he suddenly noticed that the door seemed to have been pulled shut from the outside, followed by a loud bang.

"Who's there?" Zhan Yi shouted, startled by the loud noise, but no one answered. This made him increasingly uneasy. First, the words on the door, then the white figure behind him, and now the door opening and closing on its own. It felt as if someone was deliberately manipulating everything.

At the same time, Zhan Yi felt as if an invisible pair of eyes was watching him. The owner of these eyes was likely the one behind all these strange occurrences, and the reason why no one lived here.

What puzzled Zhan Yi was that the ghosts he had encountered before always kept their distance, but this one seemed different, almost as if it was playing a trick on him.

He walked to the door and tried to turn the lock, but the lock core fell out when he turned it. Zhan Yi couldn't help but laugh; it seemed the ghost in the house enjoyed creating unpredictable situations.

He pulled the door open and found that Old Lady Li was standing there, staring at him with a wooden expression, as if she had been there for years.

Zhan Yi was taken aback again but quickly recovered, smiling at Old Lady Li, "Auntie, why did you come up again?"

Old Lady Li looked at Zhan Yi and finally showed some expression, "Hehe, young man, I saw you wandering around for so long without going down, so I came up. How do you find it?"

"It's pretty good, Auntie. I just noticed the door was open when I went downstairs, so I came to check. I thought someone was here, but it turned out the lock was broken. We can replace it this afternoon, and it will be fine," Zhan Yi said with a light smile, glancing up at the door and noticing that the three characters had disappeared.

Old Lady Li's face showed a hint of hope, "No problem. I'll go buy a new one. But young man, can you stay here? If you can, I'll call some people to clean up, and you can prepare some daily necessities."

"No problem, Auntie. Let's do it. But remember to get the water and electricity connected," Zhan Yi agreed readily. They then walked together to the stairs.

In the afternoon, Zhan Yi bought some daily necessities and helped the two people Old Lady Li had called to clean the yard and rooms, removing useless garbage and clearing the weeds.

Old Lady Li seemed very happy that Zhan Yi was staying, and she generously gave him a case of beer, saying it would help him build up his courage and sleep better.

Zhan Yi smiled, understanding her intentions. She clearly wanted him to stay longer. He didn't refuse, declined a couple of times, and then took the beer and bought a few small dishes, heading straight for the small building.

Inside the building, Zhan Yi stomped his feet, and the motion-activated ceiling light turned on, but it flickered a couple of times. Zhan Yi didn't pay much attention and walked up the stairs. As he stepped on the first stair, he felt as if someone was following him. He turned back but saw nothing.

As he continued up the stairs, the feeling returned. By the time he reached the third floor, it became stronger. He deliberately slowed down and heard faint footsteps behind him, very light but clearly audible.

"Who are you? Why don't you show yourself?" Zhan Yi stopped and looked back at the empty corridor.

The clear echo reverberated in the corridor, but no one answered. Zhan Yi's lips curled into a disdainful smile, and he quickly returned to his room, set up the dishes, and opened a bottle of beer, drinking it while looking at the bright moon outside.

As he drank, Zhan Yi looked around. The house was quite nice, with a bed, bedding, and simple furniture. On the third floor, he could see the sky outside and feel the cool breeze, making the summer less hot. The only drawback was the loneliness in the large yard.

After a few bottles of beer, he felt increasingly energetic. He walked to the balcony and looked at the mountains in the distance, which seemed like a giant in the night. The night breeze brought a surge of alcohol, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.

He felt like a hermit, at 22 years old, without a girlfriend, and with nothing to his name. He was carefree and bold, but at night, he wished he could have a beautiful companion like others.

But in this materialistic society, the prettier the girls, the more materialistic they were. They wouldn't even look at someone like him, who had no money or background. He had thought about lowering his standards, but he couldn't bring himself to date those unattractive girls.

The more he thought, the more troubled he became. With a hint of drunkenness, he recited a few lines of poetry: "With a heart full of courage, I cannot soar to the sky. Drunk under the moon, the cool breeze is my companion. Though ghosts and spirits are not human, they are better than my lonely nights." After reciting, Zhan Yi laughed loudly, and his mood improved.

But just as he finished laughing, a clear knocking sound came from behind him, "Tap, tap, tap." A sad and faint voice then said from outside the door, "Sir, your bravery truly impresses me. If you don't mind, I would like to keep you company and chat until dawn. Would you agree?"

Zhan Yi was taken aback by the sudden female voice, and the alcohol wore off a bit. He turned and stared at the door, noticing that a white cloth had been hung on it, the same one he had seen covering the mirror in the room on the second floor, with the three crimson characters, "I came."

Zhan Yi's mind raced. It was midnight, and he was the only one in the large yard. Who had hung the red cloth on the door, and who was knocking? Could it be that the strange events from earlier were caused by this voice? He smiled and asked, "Hehe... What do you want? Stop playing tricks."

"Ha ha... Sir, you have great courage. But don't worry, I am just a lonely spirit. I came tonight to keep you company since you couldn't sleep. Would you mind?"

As she spoke, a black smoke rose from the door, quickly filling the space. Then, a woman in a white dress appeared from the smoke.

"I have nothing to fear, but I'm not particularly interested in chatting," Zhan Yi said, puzzled by the ghost's smile. This ghost seemed different from the ones he had encountered before, which were always scared of him. This one showed no fear.

Zhan Yi pondered, and the only explanation was that this ghost was more powerful. This thought made him more cautious.

As the smoke dissipated, he could see the woman's face. She had silky hair that danced in the wind, dreamy eyes, a delicate nose, and cherry lips. Her oval face and fair skin, combined with her graceful figure and white dress, made her extremely alluring.

However, when Zhan Yi saw her feet, he felt a sudden revulsion. They were tiny, only three inches long, with red shoes embroidered with flowers, which looked glaringly out of place in the light. Moreover, her body was floating a few inches off the ground, and she cast no shadow.

The ghost, calling herself Xiaojiao, saw Zhan Yi's expression and smiled seductively, "Ha ha... Sir, why be so distant? Besides, I have no ill intentions. I just have no one to confide in."

"Alright, if you want to chat, sit down. We can drink and talk," Zhan Yi said, having confirmed that she was a ghost. He remembered the characteristics of ghosts his grandfather had taught him: no shadow, feet never touching the ground, and always accompanied by black smoke.

Xiaojiao was surprised by Zhan Yi's calmness and paused, not expecting such bravery. She then asked excitedly, "Sir, are you really not afraid of me?"

"Ha ha, why should I be afraid? A man should have the courage to face anything. But I think you should be afraid of me. However, I believe you have a reason for being here. If you don't mind, tell me your story," Zhan Yi laughed, drank a full glass of beer, and said nonchalantly.

"Ha ha... Sir, you are too brave. I have wandered for a thousand years, and humans always avoid me. Meeting you today and seeing your calmness is a rare encounter," Xiaojiao's eyes sparkled as she looked at him deeply.

She then sat down at the table and began to chat with Zhan Yi, sharing her story. Her expression changed from joy to sadness, and Zhan Yi responded half-heartedly. Through her story, he finally understood her background.

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**End of Chapter**