Chapter 555: A Little Secret


    Since he had been scared out of his wits earlier, Shen Haoran didnt want to take us to the haunted house no matter what.


    I shrugged and asked Li Mazi to find a motel to rest first.


    After the incident, I didnt dare toleavethe Sirius Whip. When I got on the bed, I took out the Sirius Whip from the bag and put it at my waist.


    Li Mazi was watching TV next to me. He didnt remember that he was possessed. I didnt want to scare him, so I didnt tell him about the incident.


    However, to assure the both of us, I gave him the Yin and Yang Umbre. After adhering a few talismans on the door to the bathroom and the window, I felt much better.Right whenI was about to zipupmy bag, I touched somethingthat felt likea scroll. It was the painting I had bought today.


    SinceI was bored, I expanded the scrond cockedmy head to one side to study it. I felt it looked different from thest time I saw it, but I couldnt tellwhat was different about it


    Li Mazi sawthat I had broughtthe painting with us. He pretended to be amazed. LittleBrother Zhang, you really like this beauty in green, dont you?


    Hemadea face at me.After looking at this silly brother of mine, my mood was gone. I shot him a fierce nce and rolled the painting to put it away. Ithought about goingto bed.


    As I was the driver, I was weary now. I easilyfell asleepnot long after Iiddown. However, I couldnt rest well. A tandwhite face keptlurkingin mymind.


    I had spent the night with shallowsleep. When I got up, I couldnt pull myself together, and I had aslightheadache. Li Mazi got up looking refreshed as though hehada good sleep.


    I envied himand saidto myself,This rascalsure issilly.If you say hes brave, hecouldpee on himself whenfaced withaghost. But, if you say hesa coward, he couldsleep pretty well under any circumstance.


    I could tell that the incident from yesterday hadnt impactedhim. He even turned to me and asked why I had roon eyes.


    I red at him. We collected ourbelongingsand left the room. However, when we got out of our room, we saw Shen Haoran.


    Shen Haorendidnt sleep wellst night. I could tell sincethe dark circles under his eyes were even darker than mine. Helookedhaggard. He had brought usbreakfast in a stic bag.


    Li Mazi and I finished the steamed bunsquickly. Then, we decided to y Poker. We asked Shen Haoran to y with us, but he was restless and anxious. Heattemptedto get up and leave a few times. I had to exin to him, From the encounter with the white face yesterday, I know we are going against something fierce! We should wait until noonwhenthe sunlight is the strongest. If we go to the haunted house at that time, it will be safer.


    After listening to me,Shen Haoran still couldnt focus on the game.However,he didnt bother us anymore. At around noon, we ate something then headed to the haunted house.


    This town wasnt big. Somepeople came to greet Shen Haoran. It seemed Shen Haoran and his friends were a band of thugs here.


    We had walked for around twenty minutesbefore turningata deserted street. Eventually, we stopped at an upleted house. I lifted my head to assess the structure. I found nothing.


    Besideslooking old, this house was cold and deserted since nobody had lived here for a long time. There was nothing strange about it. I didnt find a wisp of Yin energy here.


    Letsgoinside! My chin motioned toward the house. I thought we shouldnt make a lot ofassumptionshere. There were times we couldnt see anything from the surface, but there should be something mysterious inside.


    Shen Haoran hesitated when he heard that we had togoin. He lingeredanddidnt want togoin.


    Li Mazi was behind him. He pushed hisshoulderandboldly urged, What are you afraid of?Now isthe time when we have thestrongestYang energy duringtheday. Thosefoulthingswont dare toe out!


    I shot Li Mazi a nce but didnt expose him. No matter what, half of his words were brags. There was nothing for me toment on.


    After listening to us, Shen Haoranloweredhis head in silence. He acted as if hed lost any hope. Then, he resolutely pushed the door of the haunted house.


    The interior of the haunted house was as normal as the other houses in the countryside. There were old-fashioned chairs and a table. The floor had white porcin tiles. Therewas astaircase in the cornerthat connectedto the second floor. This was a typical vi style in the countryside. There was nothing strange or anything wrong with thegeomancyof this house.


    We went to the second floor and thentothe third floor. I found nothing wrong. Except for getting dust all over our bodies, we didnt collect any helpful information.However, I vaguely felt that something was not right


    I then hadaspark in my head, which I knew was very important but I couldnt grasp it. I simply sat on the staircase and tried to remember the structure of this house.


    Shen Haoran and Li Mazi sawthat I hada serious face. They didnt disturb me.


    I thought about itthenunderstood it. I knew what was wrong here. Shen Haoran told us that they hadcollected an ancientcalligraphy artworkin this house. However, Id checked the interior, and it didnt look like the house of someone who would like to collect ancient calligraphy.


    The attractiveness of artsy in the idea it is conveyed in. Making someone whohasno interest or ideasaboutcalligraphy keep a calligraphy painting was some sort of torment!


    Are you sure Orange picked up that picture in this haunted house? I gazed at Shen Haoran as I didnt want to miss the tiniest expression from him.


    Yeah Shen Haoran sounded ginger. While talking, his eyes subconsciouslyrolled around as if he didnt dare to look me in the eye. I knew hewas hidingsomething from us!


    I refrained my angerand asked, Ivechecked the house. Its just a normal, upleted house. Why didpeoplespreadrumors and say it wasa haunted house?


    Shen Haoran cleared his throat awkwardly andexined to usthe story of this haunted house.


    There was a couplethat livedwith the husbands mother in this house. They hadlived well,butafterthe mother passed away four years ago, strange things started to happen in this house.


    The womanbeganto hear strange noises. At first, the bowls in her cab would fall off the shelf by themselves. Then, the things around the house would move and relocate. Then one day, when the woman got up, she found that her clothes had so many holes.


    Overa long time, this story waschangedfurther, and the people in the town started tospreadrumors that the womanwasnt filialto her husbands mother. Thatwaswhy the dead mother-inw had returned totormentthem


    The couple couldnt bear that other people were pointing at them and rumoringaboutthem. They moved to another ce,which causedthishouse to be abandoned. Afterward, the rumors hadnt stopped, and the housebecameahaunted house.


    After listening to him, I felt betterbecauseShen Haoranhadntlied to me. It was true that after people died, their souls would linger in the mortal world for a while. Since they didnt know that they were dead, they would repeat theactivitiesthey did from when they were still alive. However, this sort of soul was different froman evilspirit. They couldnt harm people.


    Where did you wake up that day in this haunted house?


    When I asked this question, Shen Haorans facefroze. I dont remember.


    My me of anger arose again. I hated those who begged me for help but didnt want to be honestwithme. I turned to Li Mazi. Li Mazi, lets go. We cant put our nose in this!


    Li Mazi saw Shen Haoranblush. He knew that the young manwasnttelling us the truth. Then, he followed meand leftthe house.


    WhenShen Haoran saw that we were leaving, he was so flustered. Master Zhang, I


    I turned and saw the man almostin tears. Tell us. Ill giveyouonst chance! I wasnt a heartless person. I did that to force Shen Haoranto tellus the truth.


    Shen Haoran sat on the stairs. His hands ruffled his hairas he sobbed. After a long time, he said, Master Zhang,st night I told you I likeda girl, right?


    I nodded. Let me guess,you like Orange!


    Master, you sure arent ordinary. Shen Haoran wore a wry smile. Eventually, he toldme the fullstory.


    Shen Haoran liked Orange because she was nice and active. Moreover, his family was rich, so Oranges mom didnt prevent them from being together. However, since Orange was still very young, they would have to wait a few more years before talking about marriage.


    However, as they were both young and impulsive, there were times they couldnt restrain the rage of their hormones. A month ago, his friendobtaineda calligraphypaintingwritten by Li Yu from somewhere. He mysteriously told them that he wanted to show them the painting.


    Since Orange and Shen Haoran had nned to have their private time together,aftertheir friendmentionedthe calligraphy painting, Orange lied to her parents and said that they would go to visit their friends ce and stay there for two days. The n was that after seeing the painting, they would find a ce to spend their time together. No one had expected so many unfortunate things to happen afterward.


    That day, after everybodycame, Shen Haorans friend, who had given a lot of appraisal to the painting, didnt show them the painting. Quite the contrary, he just asked them to drink.


    After a few bottles, Shen Haoran almost cked out. Orange haddrunka lot, too. Their friend then showed them the painting. However, as thegroup of friends wereall drunk, they just recognized itasa scroll painting. No one opened it to see.


    After that, as the alcohol got the best of them, some suggestedyinga dare game, which was tovisit the haunted house! Then, they began to wobble toward the haunted house. However, they soon discovered that the haunted house was just an abandoned house. There was no ghost. They decided to go home.


    Since Shen Haoran was drunk andhad alreadymadens with Orange,heand Orangegged to the end of the team. In the end, they sneakily returned to the haunted house and did things children shouldnt do.


    Shen Haoran suddenly stopped, I dontthink itwasa big problem. Orange and I are going to get married.


    What happened after that? I knew thingshadstarted to go wrong from this part.