Chapter 77: Joyful Wedding, Mourning Cry 8 Part 2
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Bai Shuang, who had gone upstairs earlier, was enjoying a solitary bath in the spacious bathroom. She stood beneath the showerhead, basking in the comfortable warmth of the hot water. The joyful relief from her fatigue made her hum a light and carefree tune.
Due to the village’s abundant land, the village head’s house had a large footprint, and this extended to the bathroom as well. It was a whole room by itself, separated by frosted glass. On one side were the sink and toilet, and on the other was a spacious shower area.
However, the room felt quite empty due to the lack of decorations. Bai Shuang’s singing blended with the sound of water, resonating in the open space.
Since the shower water was too hot and couldn’t be adjusted, Bai Shuang decided to crack open the nearby window for some fresh air.
Initially, she couldn’t see outside because the window was frosted. However, after opening it slightly, Bai Shuang realized the window faced the backyard.
“Hmm? The design of this well is quite peculiar, I’ve never seen one like it,” Bai Shuang glanced down, murmuring in puzzlement for a moment, but she didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she turned back to grab her shampoo.
As she lathered the foam into her hair, about to close her eyes to avoid getting soap in them, Bai Shuang suddenly heard a “click” from outside the glass door.
It sounded like someone had stepped on a loose tile, creating the noise.
“Who’s there?” Bai Shuang immediately halted her actions and called out.
However, there was no response from outside.
Bai Shuang turned off the shower and waited for quite some time without hearing any further sounds. So, with caution, she approached the glass door, maintaining a slightly hunched defensive posture, and opened it a crack while vigilantly peering outside.
There was no one outside.
Bai Shuang finally relaxed, stood up straight, patted her chest, and chuckled, “Phew, that startled me.”
It was probably just the sound of tiles and cement expanding and cracking on their own. After all, it was a bathroom, an area with constant humidity, and some cracking in the tiles due to moisture was normal.
She had scared herself.
Bai Shuang, with foam still on her head, closed her eyes in reassurance and continued to massage her hair.
However, “click, click”…
A few faint sounds came from outside.
Bai Shuang abruptly opened her eyes and nearly lunged at the glass door, forcefully pulling it open a crack to peer outside.
The room was still empty.
Only a few droplets of water, suspended from the ceiling, fell onto the tiles, making a “drip, drip” sound.
Amidst the sound of water, Bai Shuang felt a shiver run through her body, as if something were approaching her from behind.
She gasped for breath, her heart pounding loudly, and slowly turned her head to look back cautiously, only to see a window cracked open.
Was it the wind?
After two scares, Bai Shuang no longer cared about feeling stuffy and rushed over to close the window again. She moved so hastily that she almost slipped on the water beneath her feet.
In that instant of closing the window, a flash of red crossed Bai Shuang’s peripheral vision.
However, when she focused her gaze, there was nothing there.
“Was it just my imagination?”
Bai Shuang muttered, but she dared not close her eyes again. Instead, she kept them wide open and quickly finished washing her hair, her eye sockets reddening.
She shivered and decided to go for a quick and decisive shower, skipping the hot water.
The overly spacious room made her feel a bit uneasy, so she felt more at ease when she returned to her room and locked the door.
……
Unlike the quiet and oppressive atmosphere downstairs, the guests on the third floor were in high spirits.
Because the third rate male celebrity claimed he knew many stories from the southern region, the guests, who had been piqued by the village head’s storytelling earlier, took advantage of the fact that the bathroom was occupied by others and sneaked into the male celebrity’s room to hear more stories.
So, what initially had just one audience, which was the variety show celebrity listening to the storytelling turned into an impromptu storytelling session by the male celebrity, with a circle of people gathered in the room.
The male celebrity couldn’t help but be amused, but he reluctantly assumed the role of a storyteller, recounting tales he had heard from the elderly people in the mountains during his childhood.
“When I was young, my grandmother raised me in a village. One scorching hot afternoon, for some reason, despite the blazing sun, I really wanted to go outside and play, and I insisted on going up the mountain to pick fruits to eat. My grandmother was fanning herself with a palm leaf fan and told me that the reason I had such a strong desire to go out was that there was something wicked luring me. She said that once I went out, that thing would lead me to the mountain, and I thought it was for fruit-picking. But in reality, it was luring me to stick my head into its noose. By that time, all it needed to do was give me a strong push!”
The male celebrity suddenly raised his voice and, at the same time, made a pushing motion with his hands.
The audience, who had been completely absorbed in the story, were startled and let out screams. Even the most serious actor, Zhao Zhen, instinctively raised his hands in a defensive gesture before realizing what had happened.
The variety show celebrity playfully kicked the male celebrity’s thigh and teased, “I didn’t expect you to have a knack for storytelling. You almost scared me to death.”
“Well, that’s the desired effect.”
The male celebrity nodded in satisfaction and continued, “As long as it pushed me while I was up in the tree, I would have ended up hanging from its noose.”
“I was really frightened at that moment and didn’t dare to leave the house. But when I recovered, I couldn’t resist the temptation of the fruits up in the mountains, so I sneaked out without Grandma knowing.”
“Then, at the crossroads at the village entrance, under the scorching sun, I saw a figure entirely dressed in black, waving at me. The person didn’t speak when I asked who they were, just kept on waving.”
The male celebrity lowered his voice and said with a sinister tone, “That person had their back to the sun, and I couldn’t see their face. No matter how close I got, it was like looking at a blurry mass of blackness with no nose or eyes.”
The guests held their breath and listened intently as the male celebrity continued.
“Then, when I got really close, I suddenly realized that what I thought was a hemp rope hanging on its shoulder was actually wrapped around its neck. T rope was tight, almost about to snap its head off. I remembered Grandma’s stories all of a sudden!”
Song Ci swallowed hard, huddled in the corner, clutching his knees, trying to find some sense of security.
The male celebrity deliberately lowered his voice, infusing it with a chilling and menacing tone that sent shivers down everyone’s spine. “I was running for my life, and that thing was chasing me relentlessly. It pursued me all the way from the three-way intersection into the village. It was about to catch me when I started crying and screaming my grandmother’s name. My grandmother opened the door and shouted at something behind me. I rushed into the courtyard and locked the gate. I hadn’t even caught my breath when I looked outside and saw that black figure. It was right outside the gate, staring at me. But because I had locked the gate, it couldn’t do anything. It just stood there without saying a word for a long time before finally leaving.”
“Thinking back, when I was almost at my doorstep, that thing was probably about to catch me. If it weren’t for my grandmother’s shout, giving me time to rush into the yard and lock the gate, I might have been caught for real.”
The male celebrity shrugged and straightened up from his previously hunched storytelling posture. He smiled and continued, “Every time I think about it later, I can’t help but feel terrified.”
The guests, who had been holding their breath, finally started to relax and let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew… I thought it was something worse. It’s not that bad, actually,” one of them said.
However, the variety show celebrity, with a mischievous grin, remarked, “Aren’t you guys afraid there might be something outside your doors too? I’m staying in this room, and I’ll just lie down and sleep after we’re done. But you guys have to go back to your own rooms from here. Aren’t you worried?”
“Especially you, Nanyuan, don’t you sleep alone?” The variety show celebrity grinned. “Can you still sleep soundly? Aren’t you afraid someone will stand outside your door and watch you?”
The guests who had just claimed not to be afraid suddenly shivered involuntarily, their minds conjuring up that very image.
Although there was no three-way intersection inside the small building, the variety show celebrity’s room was right at the staircase landing. If you thought about it, it was a sort of three-way junction. When they stepped out of the room later, what if there was actually something…
The guests exchanged glances, seeing fear reflected in each other’s eyes.
Especially An Nanyuan, who was directly singled out by the variety show celebrity, felt utterly helpless.
Because during their previous adventure at the Wild Wolf Peak, they had all shared the experience of being chased by giant rats in the Mountain God Temple, which had somewhat bonded them. An Nanyuan’s former roommate had once again chosen another guest as roommate. The two new guests had decided to share a room. So poor An Nanyuan was left alone.
After all, among the eight guests, there was only one female, Bai Shuang. The crew couldn’t possibly occupy a guest’s screen time. Therefore, An Nanyuan had no choice but to sleep in a room alone.
Initially, he didn’t think much of it. After all, he wasn’t a kindergarten kid afraid to sleep alone; what’s the big deal?
However, when the variety show celebrity host mentioned it, he started to feel uncertain.
Seeing his reaction, the male celebrity shrugged and grinned brightly. “It’s just a story, no need to be so scared. Weren’t you all eager to hear stories from my childhood? Now you’re afraid? Come on, don’t be such chickens.”
The variety show celebrity immediately puffed up his chest proudly. “I’m not a chicken.”
But in the audience’s comments on various livestream screens, amidst the laughter at the guests’ timidity, there were also many hesitant comments on the male celebrity’s screen.
[Is it really just a story? I’ve followed Brother for years, and I’ve never seen him standing alone outside at noon. He seems particularly afraid of being alone on the street at noon.]
[I really thought Brother was serious just now. Fans who’ve followed him for years should know that he’s not pretentious, but there’s one thing he’s particularly sensitive about. Whether it’s in his office or a makeup room or even when collaborating with brands, he’s unwilling to be in a room facing the three-way intersection. There was a time when he had a major outburst about it and insisted on a change, or else he wouldn’t shoot. The brand eventually had to make the change, but afterward, they accused him of being difficult. It seriously damaged his reputation. So, I think he genuinely cares about this and would rather risk damaging his reputation than face that three-way intersection.]
[And it’s not just this. He really has a lot of unusual concerns. During his livestreams, he always checks if the doors and windows at home are locked. He never opens them even when the weather is perfect, as if he’s afraid something might come in from outside.]
[And have you noticed that when Brother is about to enter a doorway, he takes a few quick steps and appear nervous and afraid? It’s only when they step inside that he breathe a sigh of relief.]
[Ah? So, according to what you’re saying, could it be that what Brother just shared was his real experience, and he said it was a story just to keep everyone from getting scared?]
“Even though it was just a story, seeing a figure at the three-way intersection is possible.”
Suddenly, a magnetic male voice emerged from the previously open door, causing the guests, who had just started to recover from their fear, to shiver again and scream in terror.
Even the viewers watching the livestream were startled by this unexpected voice. The barrage of comments paused for a moment.
Only the male celebrity, who was facing the door, saw Yan Shixun walking in from outside.
“Just like how burning paper offerings often takes place at crossroads. This is because the midpoint of a crossroads is not only the convergence of east, west, south, and north, but also the intersection of the yin and yang. At that point, where a path from the underworld intersects with a path from the mortal realm, newly departed spirits, without a guide, may pass through the crossroads, travel from the earthly path to the path of the underworld, and smoothly depart from the human world.”
“If someone passes through a four-way intersection four times during twilight, there’s a good chance they’ll see a ghost passing through the intersection on the fourth time. At that moment, don’t make eye contact with the ghost out of curiosity, and don’t continue walking forward. Just turn in any direction and quickly leave via a side road. Otherwise, you might end up following the ghost’s footsteps from the mortal world to the afterlife.”
“By then, returning won’t be so simple.”
Yan Shixun leaned against the door frame with crossed arms and mockingly said, “You have the courage to listen to ghost stories, but don’t you have the guts to shout out?”
An Nanyuan, who was nearly scared out of her wits, responded, “QAQ, I dare not.”
“However, you mentioned seeing an all-black figure at the three-way intersection and it even chased you to your doorstep.”
Yan Shixun suppressed his laughter and looked at the male celebrity, saying, “If I guess correctly, there probably wasn’t a cross-shaped road in your childhood village, right?”
The male celebrity thought for a moment, then looked somewhat surprised, “It seems like you’re right. But how did you know, Mr. Yan?”
“At the three-way intersection, one path is missing, and the four directions don’t converge. As a result, there’s chaos between yin and yang, and the paths of yin and yang randomly appear in two of the three roads. So, if a restless spirit can’t be guided away, it’ll keep wandering at the three-way intersection until the yin path appears, allowing it to depart safely.”
“The reason you saw that figure at noon is because things tend to balance out. When the yang energy is at its peak, it’s the most likely time for the yin path to appear. That’s why it waits at the intersection for the yin path to materialize.”
Although Yan Shixun hadn’t personally seen the village where the male celebrity grew up, and he wasn’t familiar with the celebrity, based solely on the celebrity’s recent account, Yan Shixun had a clear understanding of the situation.
“But you happened to encounter it at that time, before the yin path appeared, and it saw you. Your grandmother was right; it tries to lead people to the place where it hanged itself, to hang them on its own noose. It’s lonely after just passing away, so it seeks companionship.”
Seeing the fear in the male celebrity’s eyes, Yan Shixun paused and reassured him, “Don’t worry, though; you won’t encounter such a situation again. You’ve grown up, and your soul is stably connected to your body. Your innate spirituality has diminished, so even if a ghost were right in front of you, you wouldn’t be able to see it. Only young children are susceptible to seeing them; the younger they are, the more innate spirituality they retain, making them more likely to see ghosts.”
The male celebrity shuddered. Initially, he had relaxed upon hearing Yan Shixun’s comforting words, but now he became even more tense, looking visibly more frightened.
The audience: ??? Brother Yan, is this what you call comforting? What do you mean by not being able to see ghosts even when they’re right in front of you? That’s even scarier!
Audience watching at home: [!!! QAQ]
[Wuwuwu, this is so scary! My home’s window faces a crossroads. Right now, there’s only the yellow glow of streetlights outside, and not a single person. I’m so scared. Could it be real?!]
[Oh dear, after hearing this story, I don’t dare to walk home alone from school tomorrow. The route from school to my house passes through four crossroads…]
“B-Brother Yan,” An Nanyuan timidly raised his hand, “Our split-screen livestreams are all on. Isn’t it, um, not a good idea to discuss this in front of the camera?”
If their livestream privileges were revoked, the director would probably come over and cling to Brother Yan’s leg, crying.
Yan Shixun: Oops… I forgot.
Because he had already turned off his own split-screen, he relaxed for a moment and overlooked the fact that other guests might keep their split-screens on for the sake of followers and popularity.
Yan Shixun: I don’t need popularity and followers; how could I be constantly mindful of something like this? Ugh, maybe I should just have Zhang Dabing’s show get banned. That would be less troublesome.
But when he thought about how Zhang Dabing would cry with snot and tears streaming down his face, Yan Shixun could only force a smile, calmly addressing the guests’ split-screen cameras, “Oh, I just told a story; don’t take it too seriously.”
“I saw you were having a storytelling session, so I joined in casually as I passed by. You guys continue; I’m done.”
Yan Shixun waved to the split-screen cameras and then casually turned around, hands in his pockets, leaving the room through the doorway.
Leaving behind the guests who had been rather startled, they exchanged uncertain glances inside the room.
Did Brother Yan just tell that story so seriously? Is it really just a story?
Moreover, considering Brother Yan’s original identity and the fact that he seemed to forget about being on camera until An Nanyuan reminded him… it all seems so real.
And in the live chat, the viewers were speculating themselves.
[Haha, no wonder it’s Brother Yan. He even tells stories so convincingly.]
[It’s just a guess, but is it possible that Brother Yan wasn’t telling a story, but instead providing some explanation and education to the guest who told the story earlier?]
[No way! Stop it!]
[Okay, after hearing that story, I rushed to lock my door, and now I’m lying in bed, too scared to sleep. My window faces the street! Sobs, sobs, sobs.]
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