The Return of the Soul

Chapter 8

Seizing the opportunity, I rushed up to him, tugging at Little Ma's sleeve and asking, "Little Ma, how did you do that? Who are you? What kind of person are you? Why can you touch real objects, create wind, let me smell flowers, and even turn electricity on and off, making lobsters and crabs fight? And how did you become a physical being, able to hug beautiful women? Does that mean we can spend the night together?" See how excited I was? I could even say things like that. I didn't care; I just followed him closely, afraid that if he disappeared, I wouldn't be able to find him anywhere. With his extraordinary abilities, if he didn't want to talk to me, I would be completely helpless, searching high and low.

Little Ma glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and said, "You just got here, what's the rush? Let's talk after we meet in a couple of days. We ghosts believe in helping each other. Now that you're here, you're under my jurisdiction. If you have any difficulties, I won't ignore you. Didn't I just tell the other brothers? Help each other out if you can. It's not easy for anyone to survive here. Alright, I won't say any more to you. Tonight, your brother is going to have some fun, so don't bother me."

I nodded vigorously, feeling completely relieved, and said, "My brother and I have already discussed it. We'll go stay at his Villa No. 1 in the Roman Garden again. If you're so kind as to come and visit us, please teach us any skills you have. Brother Ma, you're truly our savior."

At this moment, the woman in the cheongsam spoke up, "Would you like to come to your place or mine? I'm staying with my female companion; she's fine, but I'm worried you might find it inconvenient. The power suddenly went out, and I couldn't even change my clothes." She leaned closer to Little Ma and said sweetly, "Brother, are you a regular at Fisherman's Wharf? You look familiar. What's your surname, brother?"

I burst out laughing. This young lady doesn't even know the man's name, yet she brings him home. And what's more, he's a ghost! Isn't she afraid of getting creeped out? I laughed and said, "Brother Ma, you're even more popular than my older brother. Aren't you afraid my sister-in-law will ruin your good time? Where did you leave her? How come she lets you do whatever you want?"

Little Ma smiled at the lady in the cheongsam and said, "Little sister, let's go to the Grand Hyatt, there's electricity there." Then he turned to me and said, "You're quite an interesting girl, very outgoing. That kid Luo Yi probably only has a chance to survive if he follows you, right? Otherwise, with his stubbornness, what can he accomplish? Alright, you don't need to follow me anymore, go do what you're supposed to do."

I said "Oh," and turned to look for Luo Yi. A quick glance through the traffic revealed him sitting in a silver convertible, waving at me. I jumped in and asked with a smile, "Brother, I just spoke with Little Ma. I told him where we live, and he said he'll come to see us in a few days. Brother, is this car going to the Roman Gardens?" I looked at the driver; she was a beautiful young woman in a white dress, with a cool and aloof air about her.

My mother-in-law sat in the passenger seat, very close to the woman in white, as if scrutinizing her long eyelashes. Those eyelashes were long enough to perch a bird or rest a pen on; even I thought they were excessively long, let alone a naive woman from the Ming Dynasty. My mother-in-law looked and looked, and driven by curiosity, she actually touched them. The woman blinked, then rubbed her eyes. Perhaps feeling a sting from the inverted curl of the eyelashes, she reached out and removed two false eyelashes, tossing them forward. My mother-in-law screamed in fright, as if those eyelashes were some kind of insect that had suddenly come to life and was about to bite.

Luo Yi and I burst out laughing. I said, "Those are false eyelashes, don't be afraid. They won't bite you. Brother, you know this woman, right?"

Luo Yi said, "I've met her, but I wouldn't say I know her. She also lives in the Roman Gardens. I've seen her in Rome before. She drives around a lot, never speaks to anyone, and never smiles. Sometimes we invite her to drink and play ball at the club in Rome, but she ignores us."

I laughed so hard, like I'd been tickled. "What do you mean, 'seen in Rome'? What do you mean, 'drinking in Rome'? Dude, you guys are really disgusting. Am I making a cameo in 'Roman Holiday' or starring in 'Roman Love'? This woman is so young, living in a Roman garden, driving a Lotus sports car, what's her background? Look at her cold face, is she playing the leader of a cult of cold beauty? Dude, look at how Chow Yun-fat can pick up beautiful women, why don't you try to pick up this cold leader? She's so cold anyway, she won't mind you."

The leader of the Cold and Aloof Cult drove her sports car like a bicycle, with a snail-paced line of cars ahead of her. At that speed, they wouldn't reach the Roman Gardens by dawn. While other drivers were cursing and swearing, she remained calm and unperturbed, moving an inch for every inch the car in front moved.

Luo Yi wasn't angry when I teased him; he just said, "She's not my type."

My curiosity got the better of me, so I asked, "What type do you like? Of all your rumored girlfriends, which one was real? That Ms. Lisa, wasn't there a rumor that you were going to get married? And Ms. Meng Xixi, who acted with you in 'Fleeting Clouds,' everyone said there were sparks between you two. Didn't reporters take photos of you vacationing in the Maldives? Which one is real, and which one is fake?"

Luo Yi smiled bitterly and said, "What's the point of talking about things from when you were alive? You're good in every way, except you're a bit reckless and make jokes recklessly. I'm used to it, that's why I let you make fun of me. I'm a ghost, what right do you have to say I like any woman? Have you forgotten who we are? Do you think that just because you're among people and sitting in a car driven by someone, you've forgotten the difference between you and them?"

I sighed and said, "Brother, you're right. I did get a little carried away. It's all because of Brother Ma. Seeing how well he's doing, I started to get a little envious."

Luo Yi chuckled and said, "A quick-witted person is someone else, isn't he? Seeing them so happy, I've forgotten who I am. Once you come here, who would want to leave? Look at those ghosts who came earlier, some of them have been here for hundreds or even thousands of years, and they still linger, don't they? Little sister, thank you for bringing me back. After coming back, I realized that the old days were like those of immortals. Even if I made twenty movies for free, making movies is my favorite job, so it doesn't matter if I don't make money."

I listened to his sincere words and stopped laughing at him.

After a while, Luo Yi looked up at the velvet-blue sky and said softly, "Xi Xi, I wonder how she got through this year?"

The sky was so blue, I never realized it before. The city lights were so bright, the bustling world floating among them, obscuring our vision. Days without electricity aren't necessarily bad; with the bright moon, gentle breeze, and clear starry sky, we can see the color of the sky clearly on such nights and reflect on our own hearts.

It turns out that Luo Yi loved Meng Xixi, that cat-like woman.

There was panic on the road

The Lotus sports car crawled out of the city center at a snail's pace. Once on the highway, its performance was immediately unleashed. The "Cold and Elegant Cult Leader" drove the car incredibly fast, so fast the wheels barely touched the ground, the car seemed to float. The old woman was startled and swayed precariously, but cleverly grabbed the seatbelt to avoid being thrown out. Truly, details reflect quality, and human consideration shines through. The designers of seatbelts have benefited countless people, and even ghosts have benefited.

Luo Yi and I sat in the back seat, clinging to the front seats with our arms, yelling and screaming. Our hair was whipped back by the wind, and stray hairs stung our eyes, which we didn't dare to brush away. While our hands were busy, our mouths were. I said, "Brother, this woman is amazing! She drives a sports car like an airplane. You definitely couldn't have been as energetic as her before." As soon as I opened my mouth, I choked on a mouthful of wind.

Luo Yi nodded like a little puppet on MSN and said, "That's right, that's right. I'd say I like driving fast, but I've never gone this fast before. This is my first time riding in a plane."

I laughed out loud and said, "Brother, you've got a joke now, congratulations!"

Luo Yi laughed along with me and said, "Thanks to this young lady, she made me feel the thrill of speed again. I never realized she was so lovely."

So driving fast makes you cute, goes from being an oddball to being one of us. That's easy enough, I could do it too. Tch. Dissatisfied, I started rambling again: "Hey bro, want to go on a date with her? Meng Xixi, you'd better forget about her. I heard she's hiding in Canada. Look how much you've ruined her life! Such a beautiful woman, and because of you, she's exiled herself."

Luo Yi was taken aback upon hearing this and said, "Xixi went to Canada?"

I said, "Yes, after your funeral, everyone around you was suing you. Several of your girlfriends claimed to have had intimate relationships with you, and some even said they were pregnant with your child. It was all a mess. Only this lady didn't say a word and went to Canada. I see. I should have known. Those who are truly in love will only be heartbroken; only the heartless pretend to be. Brother, is it really true between you and her?"

When Luo Yi heard me tell him about Meng Xixi's whereabouts, he was momentarily lost in thought. Being the gossip I am, I pressed him for an answer, and he finally said, "I don't know. We never talked about it."

I was immediately overwhelmed with emotion. This was truly a love story—separated by death, between the living and the dead, lovers unable to be together, their unrequited love unspoken. He died, but the first person he thought of upon returning was her, softly calling her name under the night sky; he died, and she shouldered her backpack and wandered the world, reminiscing about the past in icy, snowy lands. I was deeply moved.

I said, "Brother, going to Canada isn't difficult these days. Why don't you hitch a ride and go see her?"

Luo Yi retorted, "Don't talk nonsense. I'm already dead, why would I go see her? Wouldn't it be better to let her live a good life over there?"

This is the attitude a true Casanova should have—as long as she's happy, he doesn't care if he suffers. Because of his attitude, I changed my opinion of him again and said, "Brother, I love you. You're my idol. From now on, I'm a true fan."

Luo Yi chuckled and said, "Little girl."

The idol and fan exchanged ideas and reached a tacit understanding, almost wanting to hug each other to solidify their bond. Unfortunately, the car was going so fast that there was no time for such a moment of reflection, so they could only grin at each other with a toothy grin. Distracted, they didn't notice the car suddenly stop with a "screech." Luo Yi looked up, laughed, and said, "I, Hu Hansan, am back again!" They had arrived at the Roman Gardens.

I've long admired the Roman Gardens, though I've never actually been there. My impression is that it's a high-end villa area, inhabited by wealthy, powerful, and famous people. Speaking of villas, there's really nothing to see. The French Concession in Shanghai, the Guniuling area of Lushan, the Badaguan area of Qingdao—what villas aren't better than these newly built, pseudo-luxury properties? What's interesting is the people. Superstars like Luo Yi, and unassuming geniuses like Leng Jiaozhu—the people are the most fascinating part.

Just as I was thinking about Master Leng, he spoke up: "We've arrived. You can get off the bus now."

I screamed. Luo Yi stammered. Only her mother-in-law seemed normal, saying, "Are we here? Is this it? The houses all look so strange."

I quickly calmed down. At this point, relying on my mother-in-law's naivety was unreliable, and relying on Luo Yi's rigidity and clumsiness was equally unreliable. Only my cleverness could save us. I said, "Master Leng... no, no, Miss, may I ask if you are a ghost or a human? Are you a medium or a member of the ghost-hunting team? It's not surprising that Brother Ma can pick up girls, and Miss can drive. My older brother knew you before, so you know him too, right? Do you know what I am? You can see us, right? You saw us as soon as we arrived? You recognized who this uninvited person is? Miss, you are exceptionally gifted, my apologies. May I ask your name, Miss?"

The Cold Master coldly replied, "Didn't you call me the Cold Master?"

I had no reason to blush, so I awkwardly said, "I'm the kind of person who likes to talk nonsense, please don't mind me, miss. Um, could you tell us, are you a human or a ghost? We've been so kind as to give you a ride, and we haven't even thanked you yet. As the saying goes, 'It takes ten years of cultivation to share a boat ride, and a hundred years to share a pillow.' We've managed to escape from the crowd on this haunted night, so we're practically friends who've been through thick and thin together. Don't you want to be our friend?"

The Cold Master turned his head and glanced back at me, saying, "You're so long-winded. I told you to get off the bus, so get off."

I was momentarily embarrassed, but Luo Yi quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Miss, we're so sorry to have bothered you. We were being presumptuous. We wanted to go home, but we couldn't get a ride, and we just happened to see you driving by, so we jumped on the hood. We've been neighbors for several years, but we've never introduced ourselves. I'm Luo Yi, and I used to live at number one here. May I ask your surname, Miss?"

Goodness, Luo Yi! He speaks so humbly and politely, his words flowing effortlessly, managing to appease people flawlessly. Listening to him, there's no hint of any estrangement between humans and ghosts; it's as if he's just casually greeting a neighbor. But when it comes to crucial moments—no, when dealing with women—relying on a woman's cleverness is unreliable; a handsome man's face is far more reliable.

Sure enough, Miss Leng's icy expression softened slightly, and she smiled a little. "Mr. Luo, it's an honor to meet you. My surname is Leng, my name is Qingqing, and I live at number thirty-eight."

Damn, his surname really is Leng. My nickname wasn't wrong at all; I'm quite good at judging people's character. Maybe I should set up a fortune-telling stall? Most fortune-tellers call themselves "Half-Immortal," so I'll call myself Guiguzi. It's readily available, might as well use it.

Miss Leng Qingqing rolled her eyes at me and said, "You're not going to call me Leader Leng anymore? Lengyan Sect, humph."

I swallowed back all my pent-up complaints, almost causing myself internal injury, and said, "Miss Leng, I'm just stating the facts, okay? Although the 'Cold and Elegant Cult' was something I made up to joke about you, you really are cold and elegant, like a female star from the 1930s black and white film era. Cold means noble; elegant means beautiful. You are silent and noble, bright and beautiful. This phrase is somewhat sarcastic, but when used to describe you, it's a compliment. Look at yourself in the mirror, aren't you both cold and bright? Ask my brother, and see if he thinks you're both cold and noble?"

The Cold Cult Leader's eyes were as cold as ancient ice, almost shooting out deadly arrows. I held my nerve, looking at her with utmost sincerity, a smile on my face, trying to melt her icy demeanor. Actually, I was innocent; I genuinely found her cold and beautiful. Between the two of us, just looking at our eyes, it was hard to say who looked more like a ghost.

My eyes couldn't outsmart her, so I had to look away, muttering pleadingly, "Sister Leng, you know you have some special abilities, otherwise how could you see us, hear us talking, and even stare at me like that? It's normal for someone with such a strange ability to be a little cold." I saw her eyes narrow slightly, a cold glint in them, and I added, "Of course, you have big eyes and I have small eyes. Sister Leng, I may have spoken without thinking, please don't take it to heart. That's just my personality, you can ask my older brother if you don't believe me."

Luo Yi also said, "Miss Leng, that's just how she is. She's very outgoing, loves to joke, and likes to talk nonsense, but she means well and has no ill intentions. None of the three of us are bad people. Oh, by the way, this is an old lady from the Ming Dynasty. I don't know what her name is."

Her mother-in-law smiled at her and said, "Can I have this?" She pointed to the pair of false eyelashes.

I burst out laughing. Luo Yi shook her head helplessly, while the Cold Sect Leader was incredibly annoyed, as if she had encountered the three of us clowns and didn't know whether to be angry or amused. Seeing that her eyes were showing signs of melting, I immediately said with a grin, "Sister Cold, how about I tell you a tongue twister? If you laugh, you won't hold it against me; if you don't laugh, I'll continue?" Then I quickly recited: "There's a Cui with round eyes in front of the mountain, and a Cui with round eyes behind the mountain. The two of them come to the mountain to compare their eyes. I wonder if Cui with round eyes' eyes are rounder, or Cui with round eyes' eyes are rounder."

Luo Yi and her mother-in-law burst into laughter halfway through the story, but Leng Jiaozhu, true to his Leng surname, managed to keep his composure, though he bit his lower lip. Seeing that there was a chance, I immediately continued, "There's a Cui with thick legs in front of the mountain, and a Cui with thick legs behind the mountain. The two of them come to the front of the mountain to compare their legs. I wonder if Cui with thick legs' legs are thicker, or Cui with thick legs' legs are thicker."

Even the Cold Sect Leader burst out laughing, while the old woman covered her mouth with her sleeve, her laughter concealing her teeth. Luo Yi held back, not daring to laugh too unrestrainedly.

I was the only one who didn't laugh. The person telling the joke can't laugh; if they do, it's no longer a deadpan comedy. I said, "Sister, you laughed, huh?"

The Cold Master stopped smiling and said, "I'm not used to joking around with people. You can all leave now."

I continued teasing her, "East-West Street, North-South Walk, Go Out and See a Man Biting a Dog, Pick Up the Dog and Throw Stones, Then Get Bitten on the Hand by the Stones." I recited a children's song, and her face, which had just become serious, was made to look serious again, almost laughing. But I said seriously, "Sister, you can see us, and you're not afraid of us, so you really are a different person. We're going to stay for a while after we came back, and it's fate that we met you right away. Besides, how many people like you are there in the world? You're as cold as ice and as beautiful as a peach blossom, possessing unparalleled martial arts skills, so you must have your own troubles. Since we're neighbors and have had this wonderful encounter today, how about we become friends? If you don't agree, I'm actually a little afraid you'll call in the Taoist priests who draw talismans and the special agents who catch ghosts."

Seeing my sincerity, Miss Leng Qingqing softened her tone and said, "How could that be? If it were as you say, I would also be labeled as an oddball."

I nodded, completely understanding, and said, "Sister, when did you gain your special abilities? You must have been very scared at first, and these past years must have been tough for you."

A tear glistened in Leng Qingqing's cold eyes, a trace of desolation flashing across them, and she said, "Sister, the suffering here is hard to describe in words."

Life is but a dream

The cold, aloof woman suddenly became teary-eyed, startling me. I hadn't expected to be so persuasive, turning this ice queen into a water baby, like in the childhood cartoon "The Snow Child," melting away and dripping water. But I think she'd probably been too cold and lonely for too long, too long without communicating with anyone or anything who knew the truth, so even the slightest bit of kindness and warmth from me caused her a momentary breakdown.

I'm actually prepared for a protracted battle.

I quickly leaned forward and grabbed her hand, saying, "Sister, even if we've found our community, being neighbors with you is truly a blessing from our past lives. We're so lucky, but it's tough on you. Don't worry, sister, if you have any unspeakable troubles, just tell me. I may not have many other skills, but I'm good at reading between the lines. Sister, why don't we go to my elder brother's house and have a good chat?" Although I said I was going to hold her hand, my hand slipped through hers, brushed past the back of the chair, and ended up on Luo Yi. Luo Yi quickly helped me up, and I was filled with regret and bitterness. My well-intentioned gesture of comfort had gone awry, and I had even swayed backward. My posture was so awkward, so unpresentable, that I had completely lost face.

Leng Qingqing first realized her lapse in composure, then embarrassedly wiped away her tears with her fingertips, saying, "I'm sorry for losing my composure on our first meeting. Let's forget about it today, we can do it another day..." Before she could finish speaking, seeing how humiliated I had been and how disheveled I looked, she turned to comfort me, "Little sister, are you alright?"

I said pitifully, "I wish I could fall and hurt myself. Sister, if you're not tired, could you talk to us? I really want to know how someone like you survives in this world? And how did you accept this reality?"

Leng Qingqing sighed and said, "Alright, I've never told anyone about my experiences. My sister is so hospitable, it would be really inappropriate for me to refuse. Don't go to Mr. Luo's place either, the bank and the court have sealed off the house and are waiting for it to be auctioned off. It hasn't been cleaned for so long, it's probably covered in dust. Come to my place, I rarely have guests."

I immediately beamed and said, "Okay, let's go, big brother?"

Luo Yi glanced at the corner of a roof peeking out from the bushes; that must be his Villa No. 1. Hearing such news from someone else must have been upsetting. Fortunately, he was a great actor and concealed his sadness well, quickly saying, "Alright, then I'll take my leave of Miss Leng."

Leng Qingqing agreed, and the car made several turns before arriving at a small house deep in the flowering trees. The garage door opened, and she drove the car in, saying, "Luckily, there's no power outage here, otherwise the car would have to be parked outside."

I laughed out loud and said, "Sister, the power outage tonight was a prank they staged to welcome us and have a carnival. It has nothing to do with the power grid. Once they've had their fun, it'll be fine."

Leng Qingqing smiled faintly and said, "I guessed it, otherwise why would there be you all over the street?" I stuck out my tongue, and after she locked the garage door, she invited us to go directly from the garage to the living room upstairs.

Leng Qingqing walked up the stairs, turning on the lights as she went. I suddenly felt uncomfortable with the bright light; my eyes stung terribly. I didn't say anything, after all, it was my first time visiting someone's home. Luckily, Leng Qingqing had the good habit of turning off the lights after entering the living room, and then she turned off all the lights in the stairwell. The living room was large and empty, and despite it being the middle of summer, the thick curtains were drawn tightly shut. I guessed it was for psychological security, not for theft prevention. In such a high-end residence, there are 24/7 surveillance cameras everywhere; what thief could possibly hide from electronic eyes?

Leng Qingqing told us to make ourselves at home, said she was going to change her clothes, and then opened another door and left.

Leng Qing's home was indeed deserted. Several sofas were scattered throughout the large living room, none of them matching – some velvet, some brocade, some rattan, some leather – along with a few small tables from different series. There were no flowers or plants; a few oil paintings hung on the walls, and a glass cabinet stood against one wall, containing decorative porcelain. On the other side was a fireplace, naturally unlit in the summer heat, with only a huge conch shell placed inside. Leng Qing's living room was heavily Westernized.

I pulled my mother-in-law to sit on a large, soft velvet sofa, while Luo Yi picked out a single, high-backed brocade sofa and sat down. I remembered when Luo Yi mentioned that we were talking about starting a company in Ghost Domain, I asked him where the big red velvet sofa was, so I laughed and said, "Brother, I finally got to sit on a velvet sofa! We can start a company now. Although this sofa isn't bright red, but caramel-colored, I like this color."

Luo Yi, feeling comfortable, simply propped up her legs on the footstool in front of the sofa, clasped her hands behind her head, and said lazily with a smile, "This sofa is comfortable too. Miss Leng has good taste."

Looking at Luo Yi like this, I suddenly recalled a scene from the movie "Scattered Clouds." He was also casually lounging on a sofa with a subtle floral pattern, luxurious and extravagant. He wore a deep burgundy vest, his feet propped up on a footstool, a glass of wine in his hand, drunkenly watching Meng Xixi, dressed in a striped cheongsam, her waist slender and alluring, glaring at him with fiery eyes. That scene is considered by everyone who has seen it to be the most moving. Now, he exudes that same decadent languor. I was stunned, and a strange warmth rose within me. I quickly turned my head and asked my mother-in-law if she was comfortable. My mother-in-law seemed not to hear my question, staring blankly at Luo Yi, her eyes revealing complex emotions.

Luo Yi's charm only truly shines when set in a movie and within a specific environment. Having known him for so long, I've long considered him an older brother, and because we're both ghosts, there's no distinction between men and women; we've always been laughing and joking together. Although I know he's a big star, I hadn't really noticed anything particularly remarkable about him. Besides, in the gray fog of the ghost realm, by the black water river near the Bridge of Helplessness, and just now on the dark street, I hadn't paid any attention to how captivating he was. But now, in this movie-like setting—the tightly drawn curtains, the brocade sofa, the casual posture—it all creates an unusual atmosphere.

My mother-in-law had never seen such a handsome man or such an intimate atmosphere. She was momentarily captivated, her eyes fixed on him, unmoving. I secretly exhaled, composed myself, and looked at Luo Yi again. I saw a faint smile on his face, his eyes filled with tenderness as he gazed at a corner of the living room. I followed his gaze and for a moment thought I would see Meng Xixi, dressed as a woman from the Republican era, gracefully walking in. Just as I made that thought, I chuckled at my own sentimentality, so engrossed in the movie that I was trying to connect everything to the film. But then I actually saw a woman in a pearl-colored silk belted dress walk in, carrying three wine glasses in one hand and a bottle of red wine in the other, and say in a cool tone, "Although you can't drink, as the host, I can't refuse to entertain you."

At this moment, her attire was so somber that she seemed more like someone who had stepped out of an old movie than anyone else. Her silk, belted robe flowed down her body like water, the pearly sheen of the silk reflecting on her icy face and melancholy eyes, making her as cold and beautiful as a statue. The leader of the Cold Beauty Cult truly lived up to her name. She set down her wine cup in front of me and Luo Yi, filling it to about seven-tenths full, sat down in a round wicker rocking chair, poured herself a full glass, and said, "Let us feast amidst the flowers, raise our cups to the moon. Come, cheers!"

Luo Yi's eyes, though not yet drunk, already held a hint of intoxication. He sat up straight, dipped his index finger into the wine glass, touched his lips, and said, "Life is but a dream, how much joy can we have? Cheers." As he made this gesture, he kept looking at Leng Qingqing, as if both appreciating and enjoying what he saw, and responding appropriately.

Leng Qingqing downed the wine in her glass in one gulp, then poured it back up with a gurgling sound. She said with a half-smile, "Life is but a dream, haha, life is but a dream. Hasn't my whole life been like sleepwalking? I see ghosts everywhere I go, I can't escape them no matter where I go. And now, the ghosts have even come into my house, sitting on my sofa and drinking my wine. What kind of monster am I, to be tormented by ghosts for half my life?" Her voice trembled with tears as she finished speaking, and she tilted her head back, downing another glass of wine.

Luo Yi said, "Perhaps you are different from others. People who are different have to suffer more than others."

Leng Qingqing poured herself another half glass of wine, took a sip, poured a little more, took another sip, and slowly became a little drunk. When people are drunk, they speak with a clear head. She said, "If Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on someone, it will first test their will and strengthen their body. I'd rather be the most ordinary person than have such a great responsibility fall on my shoulders. What good will all this suffering do for me or others? Think about it, you just cremated your father yesterday, and the next day you see him watering flowers on the balcony, turning around to greet you—wouldn't you be scared half to death? Dad left quickly, disappearing in a day or two. A few years later, Mom also passed away. I buried her with Dad, and when I came home, I saw her rummaging through drawers, saying she was looking for her jade ring. She left in a hurry and didn't have time to tell me."

Hearing this, I put aside the ambiguous and tangible feelings between her and Luo Yi, and was moved by the unwavering love parents have for their daughter. I thought about how much my parents must miss me and worry about me after I left. And I, I left without even visiting them. How much pain must they be in, thinking of me during the day and not dreaming of me? I hugged my mother-in-law and sobbed.

Leng Qingqing seemed to only then remember that I existed. She looked away from Luo Yi and towards my mother-in-law and me, asking in confusion, "Why are you crying?"

I said, "Sister Leng, are you really cold? Your father and mother are reluctant to leave you, that's why they're so attached to you. You should talk to them nicely, put their minds at ease, and ask them to go well and be reborn soon so they won't suffer any more..."

She interrupted me coldly, saying, "Miss, you're so naive. You came from the ghost world, so of course you understand what's going on. But I'm a person. When the dead come back to talk to me, if I'm not afraid, then I'm a ghost. At first, only my relatives came back to talk to me. Later, even my dead neighbors came to greet me. And then I saw people I knew and didn't know. Sometimes I didn't know that someone was a ghost, and when I talked to them, the people around me looked at me strangely, watching me talk to myself, laughing and talking, treating me like a weirdo. I don't have a single friend, not even a boyfriend or girlfriend. Who would be friends with someone who's always talking nonsense?" She drank one sip after another, adding a little more, drinking countless cups until all I could see was the wine in the bottle. If I keep going, every sip of wine turns into a grumble: "I moved from a small town to a big city, thinking the ghosts here wouldn't recognize me and wouldn't bother me. But the ghosts in the big city are more numerous and terrifying. Some are lying in pools of blood, some only have half a face left, some have missing limbs. If those were ghosts, that would be fine, but there are even more missing limbs sitting on the sidewalks and overpasses, all with the same expression. I can't tell who's human and who's ghost, so I just ignore them all. Sometimes he looks like a ghost, but he's my boss; sometimes he looks like a human, and I'm ready to accept his invitation, but he's a ghost again. I'm driven to the brink of a nervous breakdown, so I just ignore everyone. You say I'm cold? If I weren't cold, how could I survive? I would have committed suicide eight hundred times over."

I felt incredibly ashamed. I sat down next to her and said, "Sister, I'm sorry, I didn't understand how you felt. But now you can tell who's a ghost and who's a person, right? How did you do that?"

Leng Qingqing didn't even look at me; all she needed was a good pair of ears to listen to her recount her misfortunes. She had kept it all bottled up inside for too long, and today she finally had the chance to speak her mind. She was the one who should be most grateful to us. She said, "Over time, I've figured it out. No matter how similar ghosts and humans are, ghosts have no substance; they're light and airy, able to go wherever they want. And because this function is so useful, ghosts never want to give it up."

"That's right," I thought. "Even a well-mannered ghost like Grandma can leave whenever she wants, without even opening the car door to get in or out. Of course, the inability to open the car door is also a reason." Then I remembered another question and asked, "We don't come back very often. So, according to you, everyone's soul stays here after they die?"

How much joy?

Leng Qingqing was quite impatient, frowning as she said, "Didn't I just say? My dad left quickly, he disappeared after a day or two. Somehow, the souls of newly deceased people haven't completely dissipated, they like to linger in the places they lived in, stay for a while, and then leave again. My dad wandered around the house for two days, watering the flowers and going out for his morning exercise every morning just like when he was alive, except he didn't buy breakfast anymore, I guess he couldn't. My mom stayed a little longer, a week. She was just like before, waking me up every morning, and sitting with me watching TV in the evening, not letting me change the channel, she wanted to watch her favorite dramas."

We remained silent, lost in thought of those lingering souls. How could we so easily abandon them? Those flesh-and-blood relatives, they held our hearts captive. We may die, but the thought of them makes it hard to leave. It's not that we're reluctant to leave the world's splendor and wonder, but simply for those we love. Even if the bodies of the dead are cremated, their souls remain to see if they are doing well.

I said softly, "Sister, your father left quickly because he was relieved to see you and your mother together. Your mother left slowly because she couldn't bear to see you all alone in the future."

A single tear fell into her wine glass, and she raised it to drink. "Now I understand, but I was young then and just afraid."