"Get lost, you idiot!"
"Freaking lunatic!"
"Tell security not to let this kind of trash into the building again!"
"Damn it, I’ll beat him up every time I see him from now on!"
The employees were furious, convinced that Lin Yu was cursing them.
Xue Qin’s expression was icy as she shot a disdainful glare at Lin Yu’s retreating figure.
Song Zheng, on the other hand, was smug—finally, he had thoroughly humiliated Lin Yu in front of everyone.
Lin Yu paid no mind to their insults. If someone had told him before his death that ghosts existed, he would’ve called them an idiot too.
But having died once, he knew there were far too many things in this world beyond human understanding. Arguing with these people was pointless.
To him, they were nothing more than frogs at the bottom of a well.
His focus now was solely on figuring out the real issue—after all, he hadn’t detected any baleful energy in Xue Qin’s company.
As he walked out, Lin Yu spotted a red string in an employee’s miscellaneous box and discreetly took it. By the entrance, he silently recited a purification incantation and tied it to a branch of a potted plant.
Despite Xue Qin’s attitude, out of respect for Old Man Song, he decided to help.
---
After Lin Yu left, Song Zheng administered two acupuncture needles to Sister Liu, temporarily calming her.
He then ordered her restraints removed—but the moment they were loosened, Sister Liu’s eyes rolled back, and she lunged forward, sinking her teeth into Song Zheng’s neck.
"Ahh!"
Song Zheng screamed, shoving her away.
The men quickly restrained Sister Liu again as she snarled and thrashed wildly.
"Xiao Zheng, are you okay?" Xue Qin rushed over in concern.
Song Zheng touched the wound on his neck, grimacing. "It’s fine."
He was baffled. Sister Liu’s condition had stabilized—why had she suddenly become so violent again?
When Sister Liu’s family arrived to take her away, Song Zheng handed them a prescription, instructing them to administer the medicine on schedule.
---
Three days later, the reception hall on the second floor of Jishi Hall was unusually lively. An old friend of Old Man Song’s had come to Qinghai and stopped by for a visit. Naturally, Song Zheng and Xue Qin were present as well.
"Old Huang, it’s been three years since we last met, hasn’t it?" Old Man Song said with a smile.
"Two years and eleven months—I remember clearly," Old Man Huang replied, eyes crinkling.
Just then, a phone rang. Xue Qin quickly excused herself to answer it.
"Boss Xue… it’s bad… another employee has gone mad…" Her secretary’s voice trembled on the verge of tears.
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"What?!" Xue Qin’s face paled, and she swayed slightly, nearly collapsing.
"Sis, what’s wrong?" Song Zheng hurriedly steadied her.
After a moment, Xue Qin composed herself and explained the situation.
Old Man Song and Old Man Huang exchanged grave looks.
"Madness isn’t contagious—how could this keep happening?" Old Man Song muttered, frowning.
"Old Song, I have something to say, though I’m not sure if I should," Old Man Huang said hesitantly.
"Old Huang, just say it," Old Man Song urged.
"Have you considered that this might not be a medical issue at all… but something related to the metaphysical?" Old Man Huang phrased it carefully. Over the years, his travels had exposed him to many inexplicable phenomena—this eerie situation was far from his first encounter.
"T-That’s impossible!" Song Zheng stammered, paling.
"Silence!" Old Man Song snapped.
As a seasoned physician, Old Man Song had encountered countless cases that defied medical and scientific explanation. While he didn’t believe in ghosts, he held a deep respect for the unknown.
Xue Qin had never believed in such things either—but now, she couldn’t help but wonder.
Especially when she recalled Lin Yu’s parting words to her. A chill ran down her spine.
"Xiao Zheng, you treated those two patients, right? Call their families and check on their condition," Old Man Song instructed.
Song Zheng made the calls, only to learn that both patients had worsened, their madness intensifying.
His face drained of color, heart pounding as he remembered Lin Yu’s warning.
"Old Song, I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years. Let me take a look at Qin’er’s company," Old Man Huang offered.
"Good. The sooner, the better."
With that, the group hurried to Xue Qin’s company.
By then, all employees had evacuated. Xue Qin had instructed her secretary to send the affected employee to the hospital and given the rest two days off.
Panic had taken hold—no one dared to stay.
Old Man Huang inspected the premises thoroughly but found nothing unusual. Puzzled, he turned to Xue Qin.
"Can you call the property management? I’d like to ask them a few questions."
Xue Qin nodded and made the call. Soon, two staff members arrived, visibly nervous. If word of this spread, the building’s reputation would be ruined.
"This building’s feng shui was consulted before construction, correct?" Old Man Huang asked.
He had noticed earlier—the building faced south, its structure balanced. Clearly, a master had been consulted. Nowadays, major developers often hired feng shui experts before breaking ground.
"Yes, a master was consulted," the staff confirmed.
"Were there any accidents during construction?"
The two exchanged uneasy glances. Realizing they were dealing with someone knowledgeable, they admitted, "There was an incident—a worker fell from the rooftop, impaled on exposed rebar. He died instantly."
"Right… right outside this floor…" Their faces turned ashen.
Song Zheng gasped, suddenly recalling Lin Yu’s words. Cold sweat drenched his back.
"What is it, Xiao Zheng?" Old Man Song frowned.
"H-He… He Jiarong said that day… that someone had died on this floor… and it’s true…" His voice shook with fear.
Xue Qin’s face paled. Every word Lin Yu had said had come to pass.
"Fool! Why didn’t you say so earlier?!" Old Man Song’s chest heaved with anger. Xiao Zheng’s arrogance had blinded him!
"Qin’er, Xiao Zheng’s ignorance is one thing—but you? Didn’t I teach you as a child that the world is full of mysteries? If He warned you, why didn’t you investigate?" Old Man Song sighed, restraining his temper.
Xue Qin bit her lip, ashamed of how she had mocked Lin Yu instead of heeding his words.
"Old Huang, given the situation, can you help resolve this?" Old Man Song asked.
Old Man Huang didn’t answer immediately. His eyes suddenly lit up as he approached a potted plant by the entrance, plucking a red string from its branch. Half of it had turned pitch black.
He chuckled wryly. "With an expert like this around, who am I to intervene?"
"What do you mean?" Old Man Song’s brow furrowed as he examined the string.
"Whoever tied this is the true master. Without it, that employee wouldn’t just be mad—he’d be in the underworld by now." Old Man Huang sighed. "Old Song, do you know what day it is today?"
Old Man Song thought for a moment before his expression darkened. "July 15th… Ghost Festival?!"
Old Man Huang nodded grimly. "So, if we find this expert, Qin’er’s problem can be solved."
"But where do we find them?" Old Man Song sighed.
"I remember! Grandpa, it was He Jiarong! When he left, I saw him take a red string from a desk!" Song Zheng blurted.
"Jiarong?" Old Man Song’s eyes widened before lighting up with relief. "Then this is simple."
Song Zheng and Xue Qin, however, looked miserable. Simple? After how they and the employees had treated Lin Yu, there was no way he’d help now.
Seeing their expressions, Old Man Song understood. His voice turned stern.
"Then I’ll have to swallow my pride and beg him myself. You two are coming with me. And remember—no matter how He scolds or reprimands you, you will endure it. Understood?"
"Understood," Song Zheng mumbled dejectedly.
Xue Qin remained silent, lips pressed tight.
Men had always fawned over her—she had never once apologized or groveled before one.
"Qin’er! Are you deaf?!" Old Man Song’s rage was genuine. Never before had he spoken so harshly to his beloved granddaughter.
