Chapter 204

Chapter 204

Anning woke up.

We agreed to Liu Jing’s request, but we also made things very clear to her: we would pass along her wishes, but whether her husband and mother-in-law agreed was not something we could force.

Before we left, Seventh Master put up several sheets of Talisman in the living room.

I asked him, “Didn’t you say Talisman shouldn’t be pasted indoors?”

“This is Grievance-Resolving Talisman. It’s used for Exorcism for the dead. It won’t attract ghosts.”

After Seventh Master finished putting up the Talisman, he took a plug-in tape recorder out of his backpack.

He switched it on, and what played from inside was the Daoism classic Scripture of Resolving Grievances and Removing Sins.

It was part of the daily required recitations for disciples of Daoism. The entire scripture was meant to resolve grievances and untie knots in the heart-exactly as the words implied, clearing away injustice and opening what had been locked inside.

It wasn’t only used to perform Exorcism for a Ghost. It could help the living find release too.

“Seventh Master, using a tape recorder for Exorcism… doesn’t that seem a little lacking in solemnity?”

“Then why don’t you sit here and recite it for her?”

Seventh Master glanced at me. “What’s the difference between a person reciting it and a tape recorder reciting it? You have to learn to be flexible.”

Only after finishing all this did we walk out of the apartment.

Before leaving, Seventh Master pasted another Talisman on the front doorframe to prevent Liu Jing from leaving the place.

People could lie. A Ghost had been human while alive, so a Ghost could lie too.

The fear was that Liu Jing might waver and pull some new trick at the last moment, so Seventh Master simply sealed the apartment to keep her from escaping.

Liu Jing’s side of things was more or less settled. Now we only had to wait until tomorrow, when I would go find her husband and mother-in-law. Once she had seen them one last time, we could send her away.

Seventh Master drove his own car home. Tomorrow, he still had to go with Song Xiaotian to Feng Gang’s place.

I didn’t have a car. Lately, I had been driving Song Xiaotian’s.

I first drove Anning home, then went back to Meng Yifan’s place.

…

The next day.

I didn’t go to the shop. I planned to visit Liu Jing’s husband and mother-in-law directly.

I had contacted Liu Jing’s husband ahead of time, and he invited me to meet at their home.

Their family owned three apartments. They were currently living in another one, also a large place of more than a hundred square meters. Housing prices here were even higher, which showed that this family was quite well-off.

Liu Jing’s mother had died early, and her father passed away when she was in her teens.

Liu Jing’s husband was called Fang Yongshan. Fang Yongshan’s father had passed away two years ago. After his father’s death, his mother moved in with the couple.

That was when the conflict began.

Fang Yongshan’s mother was nearly sixty. Her features carried a somewhat mean, harsh look, though she was fairly kind when dealing with people. I guessed that kindness was only for outsiders, because the moment Liu Jing was mentioned, her sharp tongue and cruelty were exposed.

“Mr. Fang, I’d like to know something. Before you moved out of that apartment, did you already know your wife’s wronged Ghost hadn’t dispersed?” I asked Fang Yongshan.

Before Fang Yongshan could answer, his mother started cursing. “What wronged Ghost? What grievance could she have? My little grandson is the one who was wronged! He was killed by that damned short-lived woman! That whore could even bring herself to harm her own flesh and blood!”

“Damned short-lived” was a dialect curse from around Chuan City and Yu City. It was used to curse someone to have a short life, like wishing their lifespan would be cut off.

The Old Woman’s words really were vicious. She had even called Liu Jing a whore.

Fang Yongshan also said coldly, “There were indeed some problems with the apartment after she died, but the main reason we moved was because of the child. The child died at home. My mother was heartbroken, and living there would inevitably remind her of sad things, so we moved.”

He asked why I had come today, and whether it was because the apartment problem couldn’t be handled.
“That house is extremely dangerous right now. It’s a textbook Stigmatized Property, but it can be dealt with.”

I told him the truth. “There’s one issue. Ms. Liu wants to have a reunion dinner with you and your mother-with your whole family. She wants to see you one last time. After that, she’ll be able to go in peace to wherever she should go.”

“Once she leaves, the house can be sold. A buyer has already put down a deposit.”

After hearing me out, the mother and son instinctively felt afraid.

But very quickly, the Old Woman started cursing again. “Impossible! That rotten whore killed my eldest grandson. If she were still alive, I’d poison her with Rat poison myself!”

“Master, kill her! Send her to the Eighteen Levels of Hell! Make sure she never gets another chance for all eternity!”

I was starting to lose my patience.

This damn old hag’s curses were unbelievably foul.

But they were clients, so I didn’t dare go head-to-head with the two of them. If I ruined the deal, that would be a profit of over a hundred thousand down the drain.

“Mr. Chen, there’s no way we’re agreeing to that.”

Fang Yongshan’s face was livid too. “She killed my son, and she still has the nerve to ask to see us? Tell her to get lost. We don’t want to see her.”

Forcing down my disgust for the mother and son, I said awkwardly, “Mr. Fang, why don’t you think it over? Like the old saying goes, the dead deserve respect. Besides, if your wife refuses to leave, how are you going to sell that house?”

The Old Woman kept cursing, and I was almost at my limit.

Fortunately, Fang Yongshan managed to coax the Old Woman back inside.

Then he came back out and said to me, “Mr. Chen, discuss it with your boss. I’ll add another five thousand to the handling fee. I don’t care if you drive that crazy woman away or make her die all over again. Just get rid of her for me.”

“My mom and I have suffered enough because of her. Right now, we just want to deal with that house as soon as possible so our lives can go back to normal.”

I couldn’t listen anymore.

The anger in my chest couldn’t be held down.

Like mother, like son, sure enough!

“Sorry. We can’t do that.”

My tone turned sharp. “All she wants is to have one reunion dinner with you and your mom. Once she eats it, she’ll leave. Why do you have to be like this?”

Fang Yongshan was provoked by me and grew angry as well. “This is my family business. What the hell do you know? She killed my son and made my mom grieve herself sick. Why should I grant her last wish? If you pity her so much, why don’t you go eat with her?”

“Fine, I won’t sell the house. Our family isn’t short of that little bit of money. Worst case, I’ll just abandon the place.”

I stood up and confronted him head-on. “Fine. The house is yours. Sell it or don’t, that’s your business. Worst case, we don’t take this job. I don’t earn your money. But there are some things I have to say.”

“You’re a good son, but you’re not a good husband, and you’re not a good father either!”

“Your wife grew up without love. How did you win her over back then? What vows did you swear at your wedding? Ask yourself, did you keep any of them? Were you ever good to her? You believed everything your mom said. When your mom falsely accused your wife, you raised your hand and hit her.”

“Your mom never treated your wife like a human being, and you, her husband, thought that was perfectly normal. You never cared about your wife at all!”

“You think you loved your son? You even cursed at him when he cried and fussed. You’re exactly like your mom. Love, my ass!”

“Your wife has been waiting for you this whole time, do you understand that? You and your mom were the ones who forced her to her death! Your son was indirectly killed by the two of you too!”

“This money is too damn dirty to earn. I’m done. Fuck!”