Chapter 12: The Low-Priced Master

Chapter 12: The Low-Priced Master

It seemed like an eternity had passed when a beam of sunlight rose from the east, dispersing the terror of the night, and Jiang Zhenzhen, disoriented and bewildered, only then regained her senses.

Ever since she was jolted awake by the nightmare, she hadn't slept again. Instead, she sat motionless on the bed, as if stupefied, or as if her soul had been scared out of her, resembling the tales of being soul-shaken.

Upon awakening, she found the blanket still covering her, untouched on the floor, indicating that the terrifying scenes were merely a dream, a nightmare.

Although it was just a dream, it had nearly scared her soul out of her. She felt a mix of fear, helplessness, and a sense of injustice. Who had she offended to deserve this? Why would she have such a nightmare? The more she thought about it, the more perplexed and distressed she became. Eventually, unable to contain herself, she burst into tears, clutching the blanket tightly.

She cried for a long time until the alarm clock rang, finally silencing her sobs.

Despite the frightening nightmares, she still had to go to work. She had only recently found this job, and losing it would be a pity. Moreover, she needed the money for her life.

However, having nightmares two nights in a row, both featuring the same old lady, made her think. She couldn't help but feel that it was more than just a simple nightmare.

That day, Jiang Zhenzhen's work was still busy, but she couldn't put the nightmares aside like the day before. She was mentally absent, with the image of the old lady from the nightmare occasionally surfacing in her mind, evoking fear deep within her.

Due to her poor mental state, her work naturally suffered. At the end of the day, she was reprimanded, scolded harshly by the store manager.

In response, Jiang Zhenzhen apologized profusely and made assurances, without saying much else. She knew that if she were to explain the situation, the manager would not only think she was making excuses but might also suspect her of being mentally unstable.

She didn't think many would believe her if she spoke out. Most would likely think she had just had a nightmare and frightened herself.

In a way, she had indeed only had a nightmare. The frightening old lady had only appeared in her dreams, not in reality. So, did that count as seeing a ghost?

Jiang Zhenzhen didn't understand this aspect well and wasn't a professional, so she couldn't be sure if she had really encountered a ghost. However, this didn't diminish her inner fear.

With her inner fear and a hint of luck, she returned to her rented apartment in the evening. This time, there was no novelty in returning home, no joy of moving into a new place, nor the extreme sleepiness she had felt the night before, wanting nothing more than to sleep.

Although she was exhausted, more so than the night before, she dared not close her eyes, not even for a moment. She feared that if she did, the terrifying old lady would appear again.

She didn't eat dinner because she couldn't stomach anything, nor did she have the mood to cook. She curled up in bed, covering herself with the blanket, trembling with fear and helplessness.

Jiang Zhenzhen didn't refuse. She thanked the manager and didn't work in the afternoon. Before leaving, a colleague approached her.

"Jingjing, I believe what you said this morning. I think you might have encountered a ghost. Your house isn't clean," the female colleague said mysteriously.

Instead of comforting Jiang Zhenzhen, her words sent a shiver down her spine.

"Is what you're saying true?" Jiang Zhenzhen asked uncertainly.

Actually, Jiang Zhenzhen herself knew deep down that she had probably encountered a ghost. However, having lived up to this point without experiencing such things, she found it difficult to accept.

"Of course, it's true! It can't be faked!" The female colleague's tone was firm. She continued, "Think about it. In this world, many people face stress, and many frequently change their living environments for work. Why haven't they reacted like you? Don't you think there's a problem?"

Jiang Zhenzhen shrank back, feeling a chill run down her spine. She didn't answer; she didn't know what to say.

"Let me tell you, when you encounter such things, I think you need to find a master to help you deal with it. Otherwise, you won't get through it," the female colleague suggested.

"A master?" Jiang Zhenzhen was taken aback, then smiled wryly. "I don't know any masters. Where would I even find one? Go to a temple?"

In Lecheng, there were many temples large and small, each dedicated to different deities. Jiang Zhenzhen was referring to these temples.

"The people in temples charge quite a lot. I don't recommend you go to them. For ordinary folks like us, asking someone from a temple for help is like going to a hospital. No matter how much money you have, it's never enough," the female colleague shook her head.

"What do you mean then?" Jiang Zhenzhen asked.

"I'll introduce you to a master. He charges low fees and is very capable. My family hired him when we moved into our new house," the female colleague said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhenzhen felt immense relief. Without hesitation, she agreed and thanked her colleague profusely.

Since her colleague didn't have the master's contact information, she provided Jiang Zhenzhen with his address, instructing her to visit him.

Yes, the master her colleague mentioned was none other than Yang Haoran, the fraudster.