CH 20.2

“Thanks.” Tang Tian placed the key in her pocket and took the contract with her as she left. When she stepped out of the agency, she spotted the senile old woman sitting by the bench outside. She was still humming a nursery rhyme while fanning her cattail fan. Her movement was sluggish and her eyes were dull as she looked ahead, completely unlike how she was some time ago. 

A few seconds later, Tang Tian turned and headed toward the nearby supermarket to get some basic supplies so she could get through the night. Anything else she needed could be purchased another day. 

Although the messages on the mystical phone seemed to indicate that the owner of the apartment had allowed her to stay, she still wanted to abide by the rules of the mortal world to avoid any unforeseen troubles in the future. Nothing would quell her worries more than finalising everything with a contract through proper procedures. 

Not long after Tang Tian left, the community’s secretary, Big Sister Lin, paid a visit to the agency to collect this month’s rental payments. 

As she handed over the money she just received and a copy of the contract to Secretary Lin, the agency owner said, “Someone finally rented that apartment, Number 402 at Water Authority Family Dependents’ Courtyard, the one plagued by a string of reported hauntings. What a brave woman.” 

Big Sister Lin’s eyes perked up with interest. “A woman? Is she staying alone?”

The owner frowned, looking suddenly bewildered. “Wait. Was it not you who brought the lady over for a viewing?”

“No, I didn’t.” Secretary Lin responded with the same bewildered look in her eyes. “I was in a meeting all evening. I didn’t have the time to bring anyone for a viewing.” 

The two women gazed at each other for a moment in silence. They were fully aware of the history of this apartment, so an awfully eerie possibility surfaced in their minds as they looked at the newly-signed contract. 

Is that lady a human, or a ghost? 

At that moment, the old lady outside the shop suddenly turned to her daughter with an innocent smile, as if reacting to something they’d said. 

The daughter rushed out of the shop, exclaiming, “You’re drooling again!” As before, she took out her handkerchief to wipe the old lady’s mouth. Although she was still grumbling softly, her movements were gentle. 

From the corner of her eye, she saw something peeking out from the old lady’s pocket. 

“Hm?”

She tugged at it and came up with a fistful of folded, yellow joss paper. Her hand quivered with shock and horror.

“Ugh! Why did you pick up such an inauspicious thing?!” 

After Tang Tian bought what she needed from the supermarket, she went straight back to the apartment, lugging her heavy plastic bags up the stairwell. 

The corridors were not well-lit, so when she opened the door to her apartment and bright orange lights filled her vision, she froze.

Tang Tian was sure she had turned off the lights before she left. Her first instinct was that someone might have broken into the apartment, so she stayed by the door to look around. Her shoes were still neatly lined up by the entrance, suggesting that no one else had stopped by. 

There was only one light that was on in the apartment, and it cast a warm orange glow that was oddly calming after a busy and rather stressful day. 

Tang Tian placed the bags in the living room and the main door behind her shut itself as if a wind had blown past it. 

She went to the bed with a cleaning cloth in hand, but realised the bed was spotless. The bedframes were squeaky clean as well. Then, she turned to check on the tables and chairs. It was as if someone had carefully cleaned every inch of the place while she was away. Not even a speck of dust could be seen in the corners. 

Tang Tian was rather surprised by the kind gesture, regardless of who had done it. 

Suddenly, she felt the mobile phone in her pocket begin to vibrate. 

【The eccentric old man who lived here for a few decades until his death was indeed lonely. Perhaps he would feel better if someone moved in to live with him, to keep him company. Such were the thoughts of the spirit who lingered in the world of the living.】

The lights that came on before I arrived, and the thoughtfully cleaned apartment, he…

A small smile appeared on Tang Tian’s face. “Thank you. I look forward to getting along with you.” Tang Tian bowed in the direction of the master bedroom. She made a mental note to visit the management office to learn the name of the old man, so she could properly make some offerings. It was all she could do. 

Since the apartment had been cleaned, it saved her a lot of effort. She was exhausted after everything that had happened in the past few days. She could not even let her guard down the whole time she was at the Chen family estate 

Now, she could finally relax a little. She quickly got her things ready and lay on the bed in the other bedroom. Before she lost consciousness, she thought of the ghost that was definitely still by her side. 

What am I going to do about him?

She gave in to the exhaustion and drifted off into a deep sleep.

The sun had just set not long ago. The steady breathing of the young woman who was fast asleep echoed in the dark bedroom, forming an oddly calming rhythm amidst the quiet, summer night. 

Tang Tian lay in the middle of the bed, her body wrapped in a large, soft blanket. She seemed at peace as she slept soundly.

As this county was situated within Sichuan Province, there were plenty of mosquitoes around. Tang Tian had forgotten to shut the windows, and now, a few mosquitoes flew into her room, buzzing around the dark confined space, eager to taste her sweet blood. 

Tang Tian’s eyebrow creased slightly at the incessant buzzing and she shifted restlessly in her sleep. 

The tall, shadowy figure who had been sitting by the bedside all along lifted his hand and swiftly swatted the air where the mosquitoes were buzzing around. 

Perhaps he had heard Tang Tian’s thoughts before she fell asleep.

The next morning, Tang Tian woke up feeling well–rested for the first time in a long while. It had been a good sleep, free of nightmares. 

She stretched as she basked in the warm sunlight pouring through the window. Then, Tang Tian got off the bed, put on her slippers, and muttered to herself, “I got to find a job soon.” 

Although Boss Chen had given her one hundred thousand yuan, after returning the money she owed her friends and paying off the rest of the hospital bills on her own, she only had twenty thousand left. 

As Tang Tian looked down, she noticed a few dead mosquitoes on the floor next to her slippers, and wondered aloud, “There’s mosquitoes here?” She realized that she had gone to sleep without lighting up any mosquito-repellent incense. She lifted her hands to her face and neck to check for any swelling, but found none. 

Tang Tian shrugged, then went to wash up. After eating a sandwich that she had bought yesterday, she grabbed her keys, wallet, and mobile phone, then went to the door to put on her shoes. 

Before she closed the door, Tang Tian glanced at the empty apartment and the master bedroom. She hesitated for a moment, then parted her lips and murmured, “… I’ll be leaving now.” 

As she locked the door, she suddenly heard voices behind her. Two girls, presumably residents like her, walked down the bright, sun-lit staircase, chattering happily as they passed by.

Tang Tian smiled. It was a scene that reminded her that she was still in the world of the living. 

Abruptly, she felt the mobile phone vibrate in her pocket, and the smile on her face instantly collapsed into an emotionless line. 

“Can’t you give me a break?”

As it continued to vibrate, Tang Tian sighed. “Fine, fine.” 

She took out that darned black mobile phone and read the message that appeared on the screen. 

【You have 386 hours (Health Points) remaining. 

Expires: 2019 July 28th, 9:50 p.m.

Please top up soon.】

It was followed by another message. 

【Become the host-in-training of the Midnight Tales of Horror radio show. 

When the time comes, tune in to the Midnight Tales of Horror channel at exactly twelve midnight. 

Complete your mission and receive 720 hours (Health Points) as a reward. 

If you fail, you know what will happen. 】

Tang Tian watched in horror as a new application appeared on the empty home screen. It was downloading a new application on its own without being connected to the internet!

Within a few seconds, the download was complete. 

Tang Tian instantly clicked on the application, and pressed “delete”. 

【Application cannot be deleted. Thank you.】

Tang Tian fell silent as she read the latest message. 

Stupid app! It’ll cause me more trouble for sure! She cursed inwardly. 

She reluctantly inspected the application, which was a small black-coloured button with the word “Uncanny” etched on it in crimson-red colour. After clicking it, there was only one channel listed on the page, channel 44.4. Tang Tian tapped on it curiously, trying to see if she could change it to pick up other radio channels. 

She accidentally clicked on the description button, and suddenly, blood-red words slowly appeared on the screen. 

【This is the Midnight Tales of Horror radio channel. If you can hear us, it is the result of your great fortune, and misfortune. 】

【In this channel, we shall share horrifying true ghost stories. Everything stated here is absolutely true. We do not lie. If any part of it consists of untruth…】

【We will turn it into reality!】