Minuit Maléfique

Chapitre 10

Even someone as brave as me felt a chill run down my spine, and I stiffened my neck and slowly turned my head. No one was there, not a soul in sight. Ah Fang and I were standing on the second floor, and we could see right into the second-floor hallway behind us. One of the rooms was rather strange; behind an old-fashioned iron door was a green-painted wooden door, with a large blackened patch inside, as if it had been burned.

I tried to calm myself down and coaxed Afang. She gradually quieted down, and after a little while, she raised her hand to tidy her hair. The movement was small, but it was just the right moment to pull away from my embrace. From her lowered face, I could vaguely see a blush.

The atmosphere was both warm and eerie.

Just then, the iron door on the second floor creaked open. Fang and I jumped in surprise. A dark figure slowly emerged from the opening, and we only relaxed when we saw that it was an old woman dressed in black.

The old woman was carrying a plastic bag that was bulging and clearly full of garbage. She pulled open the garbage cover in the stairwell, and the old, rusty metal cover made a strange, teeth-grinding sound, like a piece of sheet metal scraping against an uneven ground.

The old woman tossed the trash bag down, then looked up at me and Afang. Under the lamplight, her face was pale and wrinkled, making her look quite frightening. Afang turned away, unable to look at her, while I forced a smile.

I didn't see any reaction from the old woman. She walked shakily into the door, and the iron door creaked shut again.

Finally, we saw a living person. In any case, it eased the oppressive atmosphere from before.

Hanako lived on the fifth floor, and Afang and I continued walking up. After a few steps, two things suddenly came to mind, and my breathing seemed to stop, making me feel suffocated.

Afang looked at me with concern, and I shook my head to indicate that I was fine. Never mind, I shouldn't tell her, lest she get scared again.

When that old woman looked at me, there was only white in her eyes, not a single black dot!

Section 23

Hanako lives in apartment 501, building 174, Jintang residential complex.

As Ah Fang and I walked, the building lights snapped on, casting their dim light into the stairwell.

It's voice-activated.

Just as I was thinking that, I saw the light cord hanging on the wall—Ah Fang had been familiar with turning on the lights on the previous four floors, so it was impossible that it had become voice-activated on the fifth floor.

What's worse, the dirty, yellowish light cord was still swaying gently.

I'm almost used to it, I told myself. Then I took a deep breath and followed behind Afang.

The iron door to room 501 was locked, and inside was a green-painted wooden door. It was old, and the paint on the door was mottled and uneven, making it look very eerie under the dim light.

The wooden door was ajar, with a crack about the width of a little finger. Wisps of black mist seemed to seep out from the crack, blocking out all the light.

Afang hesitated visibly at the door for a moment, and when she mustered up the courage to knock, the wooden door opened without warning.

"Ah Fang?" A deep male voice appeared, accompanied by a person who took me by surprise.

The skeleton was a very large skeleton.

Three months ago, A-Lei and I went out for a night out at the Golden Idol Disco. Xiao-Wei hadn't joined us yet, and I was single—and still single now—giving us ample reason to indulge.

We were sitting in a corner of the Golden Idol Disco watching the show, and I irresponsibly said this to A Lei.

In the middle of the disco, a rare all-out gang fight was taking place, with two factions of hot-blooded fighters brandishing knives and sticks, about to start a violent brawl. Then, he appeared.

At the time, Lei boasted to me about his extensive knowledge, describing the group on the left as the "Eight Brothers," local bullies from Gulou, and the group on the right as the "Leopard Head Group," a powerful gang from Taijiang. He described them as large, well-connected gangs known for their loyalty and discipline, where every member was fearless.

As soon as he appeared, wherever he went, the heroes of the "Eight Brothers" and the eldest brother of the "Leopard Head Group" would obediently bow down and call him "Brother Sanshi".

He was very tall; Lei, who was next to me, was 185cm tall and at least a head shorter than him. He had broad shoulders, a large waist, and long arms, but was so thin that you couldn't see any flesh on him, like a human skin draped over a large skeleton.

Next, the skeleton decisively knocked the three seemingly strong and fierce men to the ground, ending this feud, and announced that all expenses for the night would be free, winning a frenzy of cheers.

I believe that when he casually broke one of the burly men's arm bones, the crisp "snap" echoed throughout the area, and everyone's heart skipped a beat. At least, I saw the other heroes of the martial world turn pale, and no one dared to stand up for brotherhood anymore.

Later, Ah Lei found out his reputation in the underworld, which was known as "Tiger of Fujian".

The tiger of Fujian is now standing before me, its enormous head resting on a broad skeleton, its tiger eyes staring at me with suspicion.

“Brother Gu…this is my boyfriend, his surname is Wang, you can just call him Xiao Wang. Why don’t you call him Brother Gu?” Afang nestled next to me, forcing a smile as she spoke.

I was a little nervous, partly because of the man in front of me, and partly because of... what Afang said.

"Brother Sanshi..." I realized my mistake as soon as the words left my mouth. The suspicion in Tiger's eyes faded, and a smile even appeared on his face.

The wooden door creaked open, and Gu Datou took a key to open the iron gate, saying, "Sweetie, we have a guest... Go inside and tell Mom, don't scare Uncle Wang... Don't come out."

Afang was questioning me with a suspicious look. I knew she was wondering why I called her "Brother Sanshi," but what could I say at that moment? I could only shrug.

Gu Datou's words were like a cold wind, sending an unbearable chill down my spine.

When he said this, his eyes were glancing sideways to the lower left.

I've seen that look before. I have four nephews, and every time I go to my sister's house, they rush to the door and call me "Uncle" as soon as they hear my voice. My sister or brother-in-law then opens the door and tells them to move aside.

But there was nothing to his lower left.

There was nothing there. My gaze drifted behind Gu Datou, and I couldn't help but shiver.

This is a typical old-fashioned two-bedroom apartment. What I could see was the living room; the lights were off, and by the light from the hallway, I could vaguely make out some dark, old-fashioned furniture. In the center of the living room was a shrine, the dim glow of incense sticks casting a shadowy, menacing image of a deity.

The most peculiar thing was the bedrooms. The doors of the two bedrooms faced this way side by side, and one of them allowed for a glimpse of light. The other was eerily dark, like a black hole, so dark that it seemed even light was swallowed up.

Hearing what Gu Datou said to Guaiguai, Afang shivered and huddled even closer to me.

Gu Datou opened the iron gate, smiled slightly, and turned slightly to let us in.

The man had a kind smile and a straightforward gaze, but his deathly pale face and eerie words sent chills down my spine. A gust of cold wind blew in from behind the open door, making me feel numb all over, and I simply couldn't muster the courage to step inside.

Suddenly, Afang beside me collapsed without a sound. I quickly caught her. Her face was pale, and her body felt limp, as if all her bones had been removed. I called out to her and shook her, and after a while, she finally opened her eyes weakly and said, "Brother Gu... I... I feel very uncomfortable. I'd better not go in. Xiao Wang, take me back. You... you and Hua Zi must take good care of yourselves... don't do anything wrong again..."

From the moment the iron gate opened, that large, bony frame leaned against the threshold, coldly watching Afang and me. From the moment Afang fainted, I frantically tried to wake her, but he didn't say a word or make any move, just stared at me coldly, a stare that sent chills down my spine.

A gaze that sees through the coldness and warmth of human relationships, and the piercing through of life, death, yin and yang.

I noticed that his entire body was hidden in the shadows of darkness the whole time. The dim light stopped abruptly at the threshold, and the silent man inside was deathly pale, with only his bright eyes flickering.

Actually, Afang was already able to stand on her own when she spoke, but she was still leaning against me. I was happy to take advantage of her gentleness while observing her closely. Sure enough, when Afang said her last sentence, her eyes, which were like will-o'-the-wisps, dimmed considerably.

I responded and, as instructed, helped Afang turn around and go downstairs.

A long, drawn-out sigh came from behind me, startling me. I'm a novelist, and although I don't have much artistic talent, I could still hear the deep regret in that sigh, filled with the sorrow of a beauty growing old and a hero turning gray.

A thought struck me, and I pulled a business card from my pocket, turned around and stuffed it into Gu Datou's hand, saying, "Come find me for tea sometime," before hurriedly helping Afang downstairs.

Although we didn't see anything particularly unusual, the eerie atmosphere had severely numbed our senses. We went downstairs more than twice as fast as we went up, and I no longer had the mind to observe my surroundings.

In the darkness, the 174 buildings, shrouded in a chilling aura, resembled a gigantic monster, its claws outstretched, ready to devour anyone who might approach, suffocating me. But as I reached the entrance to Jintang Garden, the brightly lit streets came alive with cars whizzing by and a constant stream of pedestrians passing before me. Suddenly, the warmth of human presence returned, and the eerie feeling vanished like snow under the blazing sun.

I looked at Afang. This seemingly strong woman was nestled tightly in my arms, breathing heavily, revealing a vulnerable side to her personality: "I...I'm sorry, I can't stay any longer...Oh dear, he was looking at me, his eyes...it was terrifying, really terrifying..."

I gently patted her back and softly coaxed her, "It's okay, it's okay now... It's alright, everything is alright..." But I was still filled with lingering fear.

Did Afang see Guai Guai too? But I didn't see anything, and seeing nothing is the scariest thing.

A sudden gust of cold wind blew against my back, and I turned around with a pounding heart.

An old man wearing a red armband waved us away with a look of disgust, while a BMW behind us kept honking its horn: "Young people, if you want to be affectionate, go to the side. What are you trying to do blocking the road? Cars don't have eyes!"

Afang's face flushed instantly, and she abruptly pushed me away. I smiled wryly and nodded in agreement, then suddenly remembered something: "Sir, may I ask how many households still live in Building 174?"

To my surprise, the old man's face immediately darkened, and he impatiently waved me away. Amidst the blaring horn of the BMW, I only vaguely heard him mumble a few words: "...It's been sealed off for almost half a year...so many people have died...Grandma Lin is back again..."

My heart pounded with fear.

Section 24

The few seconds it took for the BMW to pass by felt like an eternity. During that time, I only glanced at Afang's back – the girl was looking at clothes in the shop window with her hands behind her back, as if to show that she had nothing to do with me.

After the BMW disappeared from my peripheral vision, I came back to my senses and was stunned for a moment.

The old man was gone, and in the front gatehouse, only a young man with pimples was yawning boredly.

I looked around, but there were no corners or crevices within ten meters to hide myself in. There were a constant stream of pedestrians in my field of vision, but the old man had vanished into thin air like a bubble.

Knock on the glass of the gatehouse, and the young man with the green skin threw out a very impatient Shaxian-accented Mandarin: "What is it? Tell me."

"Excuse me... Is that old man with the red armband inside? I'd like to ask him something."

The young man suddenly stood up, all his impatience vanishing: "You...you...you saw my dad? The old man with the red armband, yes, yes, the one with small eyes, squinting into slits, and a bulbous nose...that's right, wait a minute."

He rattled off everything in one breath, leaving me nodding in response. As soon as he finished, he tossed me aside, bent down to fiddle with something for a while, then came out carrying a pile of things, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.

Before I could even react, three large bowls of offerings had appeared by the roadside, and a huge pile of paper money was burning on the ground. The young man fidgeted for a moment, then burst into loud wails: "Dad...you've suffered all your life outside, enduring wind and rain, sun and frost...your unfilial son has come to take you home today...my poor mother, she's cried so much she's gone blind, she'll cry and sob for ages even if she sees just a telephone pole..."

Curious people gathered around. I quietly retreated, perhaps thinking of my elderly parents back home, or perhaps because of everything I had been through; I only felt a pang of sadness, and not a trace of fear.

Perhaps there are some things in this world that can transcend life and death, such as the bond of blood ties between family members.

Afang turned around, looked curiously at the crowd, and gave me an inquiring look.

The young man's wailing continued unabated, and remarkably, he added an "ah" to the end of every sentence, his tone full of ups and downs and full of charm, which made me unable to help but chuckle.

It's only a ten-minute walk from Jinquan Garden to Changchun Teng. As I recounted this serendipitous little incident, Afang couldn't help but smile.

The appearance of the young man and the old man eased our fear. Our shared experience in Building 174 further brought Afang and me closer. She naturally took my arm, and we strolled along the sidewalk like a real couple—perhaps this is what they call "strolling on the street."

It's been more than two years since I last tasted it.

When they were about ten meters away from the ivy, Afang let go of her hand and stood sideways.

I turned my head away.

Her gaze was lowered as she deftly straightened her clothes, like a true white-collar professional. Then, she gave me a slight bow, her voice so soft I had to concentrate to hear her: "...Thank you."

Psychologically, I was very uncomfortable with this kind of etiquette, but my body took it upon itself to bend down and return the greeting, completely ignoring the protests of the large amount of fat on my lower abdomen.

She straightened up and walked away quickly.

In that instant, my journalistic skills allowed me to catch a fleeting glimpse of tears in Afang's eyes, and I suddenly realized what was happening, overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

Afang didn't have any special feelings for me, a stranger she had just begun to get to know. What made her unable to control herself was simply my face, which bore a resemblance to that bad man's—if you removed the excess fat.

There must be a story between her and him buried deep in their hearts, perhaps brief, like a fleeting moment, yet indelible.

And what about me?

"Ring ring!" The Nokia 8210 once again pulled me out of the vortex of pointless sentimentality, and the LCD screen displayed an unfamiliar number that I didn't recognize.

The moment I pressed the answer button, Gu Datou's pale face flashed into my mind.

"I am Gu Sanshi. We just met. 9:45, room 1408 of the Jinyuan Hotel. It's up to you whether you come or not."

The deep, authoritative voice spoke in a concise and forceful tone, without a trace of polite formality. Before I could reply, the line was cut, leaving me stunned and listening to the buzzing sound.

I glanced at my watch; it was just past 9 p.m. on May 8, 2004. I usually set my watch 15 minutes fast, which meant I had about an hour to decide whether to go or not.

Section 25

The Jinyuan Hotel is very close to the Yifa Building where our company is located. I went back to my office and handed over some work. I also called Yan Xin and A Lei and told them not to worry about this anymore and to leave the rest to me.

Gu Datou is undoubtedly the key figure in this incident, and I believe he will unravel most of the mysteries for me. With Xingyun's help, Yan Xin and A Lei's safety should no longer be a problem.