“Chen—Fu—gui!”
With her mortal enemy standing only a short distance away, hatred overwhelmed Shen Honglian’s reason. Wisps of black miasma seeped from her body as her eyes turned blood-red. Her once beautiful face twisted into something horrifying.
Whoosh!
She instantly vanished from the bamboo grove and reappeared in front of Chen Fugui.
But the very next second—
“Hiss!”
The sunlight scorched her body.
She let out a cry before being forced back into the bamboo grove.
“Waaah… it’s so hot…”
Wu Yan: “…”
Guan Qianyu: “…”
Rong Leying: “…”
She looked incredibly intimidating… but in reality, she was completely useless in a fight.
“Grandma Shen,” Wu Yan reminded her, “you’re a ghost. Ghosts are afraid of sunlight.”
That was common knowledge.
Shen Honglian looked aggrieved.
“But I wasn’t afraid yesterday…”
She had wandered around freely during the daytime before. The sun had never affected her, which was why she’d never realized she was already dead.
Wu Yan and Guan Qianyu both turned to Rong Leying in confusion. Why had Shen Honglian suddenly become vulnerable to sunlight?
Rong Leying pondered for a moment before pointing at the lingering black aura surrounding Shen Honglian.
“It’s probably because of this.”
Just like the female ghost in the rental apartment.
Because that ghost held no resentment toward Rong Leying, her soul looked almost identical to a living person’s and she could follow Rong Leying around during the day without fearing sunlight.
But now, after seeing the man who murdered her, Shen Honglian had completely lost control. Her resentment had surged, and that overwhelming yin energy was what made the sunlight burn her.
Wu Yan and Guan Qianyu looked at the black mist with half-understanding.
Chen Fugui was already elderly.
Years ago, one of his ears had been damaged in a fight, leaving him half-deaf. From this distance, he couldn’t hear what they were saying.
However…
He recognized Guan Qianyu.
His heart skipped a beat as he subconsciously glanced toward the thickest bamboo in the grove.
Why is this kid here?
Did he find out something?
Impossible.
Everyone who knew what happened back then was dead.
Other than himself…
No one else in the world should know the truth.
Putting on a warm, hypocritical smile, Chen Fugui walked over.
“Xiao Yu, what brings you here?”
You murderer…
That was what Guan Qianyu wanted to say.
But Wu Yan quietly tugged at his sleeve from behind.
So he forced himself to smile.
“My grandpa wanted some fresh bamboo shoots, so he asked me to come dig some.”
The moment the words left his mouth, his stomach churned.
He felt like throwing up.
Shen Honglian’s body was buried beneath this very bamboo grove.
Those bamboo shoots…
They might have grown from her remains.
Hearing that, Chen Fugui secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t suspect a thing.
Years ago, Old Master Guan had praised the bamboo shoots from his land while eating at his house.
“So Brother Guan wants bamboo shoots? Why didn’t you just call me? I could’ve dug some up and mailed them over. No need for you to make the trip yourself.”
“…It’s fine. My grandpa couldn’t wait for the delivery.”
Chen Fugui’s gaze shifted toward Rong Leying.
He slowly looked her up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised lust.
Waiting for express delivery?
That’s obviously an excuse.
Coming here with your girlfriend is the real reason.
Rong Leying hated being looked at that way.
Especially by a murderer.
The urge to beat him up became even stronger.
Wu Yan casually stepped in front of her, blocking Chen Fugui’s gaze.
“Uncle, we came in a hurry and forgot to bring hoes. Could you help us get two?”
“You youngsters don’t know how to dig bamboo shoots. Why don’t you rest at my house? I’ll dig them for you.”
He was afraid they might accidentally dig up something they shouldn’t.
“No need, Uncle. Just bring the hoes. We’ll watch while you dig.”
Chen Fugui: “…”
Damn it.
Watch me dig?
Do you think I’m your servant?
He cursed inwardly but maintained his kind smile.
“Alright then. Wait here while I go get them.”
As soon as Chen Fugui left, Wu Yan and Guan Qianyu got busy.
One immediately contacted the local police, asking them to come arrest the suspect and excavate the body.
The other called Tang Chengyun to inform him that they had found Shen Honglian.
Far away in Dongning City…
Tang Chengyun: “…”
So ghosts really do exist…
“Tch! What a bunch of freeloaders.”
“You think you can eat my family’s bamboo shoots without paying?”
“Dream on!”
On his way home, Chen Fugui had already finished calculating.
One bamboo shoot…
Ten thousand yuan.
The more they dug…
The more money he’d make.
The Guan family was rich and stupid anyway.
Might as well squeeze them for every cent.
He returned to the bamboo grove with both his son and grandson.
“You two just watch. Pick whichever bamboo shoot you like, and Grandpa will dig it up.”
“Grandpa, dig that one.”
Rong Leying walked over and pointed toward a bamboo shoot ahead.
While Chen Fugui’s attention was focused on it…
She quietly slipped a newly purchased Basic Ghost-Seeing Talisman into his clothing.
“Sure! Grandpa will dig that one for you.”
Chen Fugui picked up his hoe and walked over.
Meanwhile, Rong Leying quietly approached Shen Honglian.
“He can see you now.”
“You can go scare him.”
Too much time had passed.
The police would never find enough evidence to prove Chen Fugui had committed murder.
If he refused to confess, there was little they could do.
So…
They would frighten him into telling the truth.
And if he happened to die from shock…
Well…
That wouldn’t be their fault.
After all…
His own son and grandson were here as witnesses.
Shen Honglian looked gratefully at Rong Leying.
“Thank you.”
She floated forward and silently followed behind Chen Fugui.
Rong Leying quietly took out her phone and started recording.
Better to have evidence.
Otherwise they might end up being falsely accused.
Seeing what she was doing, Wu Yan and Guan Qianyu also took out their phones.
Three different angles.
No blind spots.
Chen Fugui’s grandson looked at them curiously.
“What are you filming?”
Rong Leying answered with a perfectly straight face.
“I’m recording a daily vlog to share the bamboo-shoot digging process with my followers.”
“So you’re an influencer?”
“How many followers do you have?”
“Thirty-two.”
“…”
The grandson looked at her with an indescribable expression.
You’ve only got thirty-two followers.
Who are you trying to impress?
Despite the tense atmosphere…
Wu Yan and Guan Qianyu suddenly wanted to laugh.
Rong Leying remained completely serious.
“Those thirty-two followers are all very important people to me.”
Among them…
One was her grandfather.
Three were her college roommates.
Two were her high school classmates.
The rest were uncles and aunties from her village.
Every single one of them mattered to her.
So she wasn’t exaggerating.
“If you post me online,” Chen Fugui’s grandson said, “you have to pay me.”
“I can do that.”
“Now hurry up and start digging.”
“If it gets dark and I can’t finish my vlog, you’ll all have to compensate me.”
Chen Fugui’s son: “…”
Chen Fugui’s grandson: “…”
Behind her, Wu Yan and Guan Qianyu silently gave her a thumbs-up.
Up ahead…
Chen Fugui had barely dug a few swings when a chill suddenly crept up his back.
Then—
An icy voice drifted from behind him.
“Chen Fugui…”
“I died such a miserable death…”
!!!
His entire body froze.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
He turned around.
A face he recognized—
Familiar…
Yet impossibly unfamiliar—
Appeared right before his eyes.
“AAAAAHHHH!!”
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