Chapter 11: Three Souls and White Bones 3
After flatly refusing Wang Zhao’s desperate plea to share a room, and repeatedly reassuring him that the ghost wasn’t following him, Jiang Si finally convinced his friend to leave, though Wang Zhao still looked back every three steps.
Jiang Si tossed the doll casually onto the bed, then bent down to put away his clothes before heading into the bathroom for a shower.
With no outsiders present, Xiao Fengxian simply slipped out of her paper effigy shell and floated into the air, drifting around the room.
Just as he was about to shut the bathroom door, Jiang Si, feeling a little uneasy, poked his head back out to warn Xiao Fengxian. “While I’m showering, you are not allowed to float in.”
Xiao Fengxian made an elegant, theatrical gesture with her hand, admiring her nails with disdain.
“Why would I ever do something so vulgar?”
Jiang Si was skeptical. He looked at Hai Di. “You keep an eye on her!”
Hai Di gave a firm nod.
.
Steam filled the room as the sound of rushing water washed over Jiang Si’s body. Just as he was thinking that Xiao Fengxian had, surprisingly, refrained from any mischief, the faint sound of an opera singer’s voice drifted in from outside the door.
The sound was muffled, as if veiled by a layer of fog, fading in and out intermittently.
Well, great, he thought. Now she’s singing.
Jiang Si’s tolerance was remarkably high. He calmly finished his shower, put on his pajamas, slipped on some slippers, and walked out.
The moment he pushed the door open, the singing stopped cold.
So, it knew to watch for his movements.
Jiang Si’s eyes swept the room, but he couldn’t see Xiao Fengxian anywhere. He turned to Hai Di on the bed. “Where’s Xiao Fengxian?”
For some reason, he felt that the expression on Hai Di’s finely crafted rubber face looked a little grim.
But he answered nonetheless. “She went out to play.”
“Where did she go?”
Hai Di hesitated. “…Why are you asking about her?”
And asking the moment he stepped out of the shower, at that.
Hai Di couldn’t stop his gaze from landing on a bead of water that trickled from Jiang Si’s jawline, down the long muscle of his neck, and disappeared beneath the collar of his shirt, which half-concealed his collarbone.
“I need her for something.” Jiang Si felt a slight itch on his neck and wiped away the slick trail of water, tugging at his collar to let in some air.
He was used to being casual and didn’t notice that the simple tug had exposed his sharp collarbone and a large patch of pale skin along with it.
Unsure what prompted him, Hai Di suddenly materialized in his true form, grabbed the bath towel from the bedside, and tossed it at Jiang Si. “Dry your hair before you say another word,” he said in a gruff voice.
“Tsk, what a pain.” Jiang Si rubbed his head messily a few times. His naturally wavy hair was now even more tousled, with a lock sticking up stubbornly over his forehead, leaving his eyes and brows clearly visible.
Tired of rubbing, he gave up and draped the towel over his shoulders. He moved closer to Hai Di to grab a water bottle from the nightstand. As the distance between them closed, the clean scent of shower gel wafted into Hai Di’s nose, making him inexplicably nervous.
He felt as if his non-existent heart was pounding erratically. He was so flustered he even forgot to wonder why he could smell Jiang Si’s scent in the first place.
Click.
Jiang Si twisted open the cap and took a couple of gulps of water before continuing. “You still haven’t told me where Xiao Fengxian went. Singing in the room is one thing, but running out to sing in the middle of the night is just plain inconsiderate. She could scare someone.”
“Hm?”
Hai Di leaned back slightly, the meaning of Jiang Si’s words sinking in a beat too late. “What singing?” he asked, confused.
“She slipped out to play the moment you went into the bathroom.”
“…”
The man and the ghost stared at each other, both frozen in place as they realized neither of them was lying.
If that was the case, then…
Jiang Si cursed under his breath, grabbed a mourning staff, and strode back to the bathroom, flinging the door open with lightning speed.
It was empty.
“Where did the sound seem to be coming from?” Hai Di asked.
“It sounded like it was from outside the door… or at least through some kind of barrier. I could hear it clearly when I turned off the shower. I just assumed Xiao Fengxian was having an urge to perform.”
Then where could it have been?
They were both stumped. Jiang Si was certain he hadn’t misheard, yet Hai Di hadn’t heard a thing.
Jiang Si pondered for a moment, then turned off the lights and began to search every hidden nook and cranny of the bathroom.
“What are you looking for?”
“What if it’s not a ghost, but a hidden camera or some other high-tech gadget? I’ve heard some perverts like to set up these kinds of pranks to record people for fun.”
That was Jiang Si’s explanation, but in the end, he found nothing.
He flopped onto the bed and buried his face in the pillow. “Whatever,” he said, his voice muffled. “I’m a grown man. It’s not like I’m at a disadvantage here.”
Hai Di, however, remained grave. He floated back into the bathroom, repeatedly searching for anything suspicious, but his search was as fruitless as Jiang Si’s.
When he drifted back out, he saw Jiang Si lying on the bed, on the verge of sleep. He couldn’t help but say again, “Your hair is still wet.”
The annoyed man didn’t even look at him. “You’re so nagging!” he mumbled. “Were you dug up from the ground? What’s with all the rules?”
Hai Di pressed his lips into a thin line and said nothing.
After a long silence with no reply, Jiang Si assumed he had left. As the room grew quiet, drowsiness began to take over. He closed his eyes, and just as he was about to fall asleep, he felt the towel being lifted and placed on his damp hair, rubbing gently.
“?”
A question mark popped up over Jiang Si’s head. “What’s gotten into you today?” he asked, surprised. “So considerate.”
Hai Di didn’t bother to reply, continuing his task in silence until every strand of hair was dry.
When he removed the towel, he was met with Jiang Si’s smiling eyes. “Such skillful technique,” Jiang Si teased. “Must be muscle memory.”
“Nonsense,” Hai Di couldn’t stop himself from retorting. “Go to sleep.”
“Tsk. I won’t argue with you now. We’ll see who’s right when you get your memory back and have to eat your words.” Jiang Si chuckled, then rolled over into a more comfortable position.
The hem of his loose shirt was pinned beneath him, outlining the sharp line of his lean waist.
I won’t have to eat my words, even when my memory returns.
Hai Di trusted his own intuition.
He allowed himself only a single glance, then quickly pulled the blanket over Jiang Si before floating to the armchair to rest with his eyes closed.
.
After a dreamless night, Jiang Si was woken by Wang Zhao knocking on his door.
He answered through the door, then slowly began to change. He had packed practical short-sleeved shirts and long pants. The clothes were simple, but on him, they looked exceptionally fresh and striking.
To be respectful, Hai Di deliberately turned away, only looking back after the rustling sound of changing clothes had stopped.
“We’re both guys. What are you hiding from?” Jiang Si asked, puzzled. “Never seen a human body before?”
“…Your friend is going to get impatient,” Hai Di reminded him.
Jiang Si shrugged and went to open the door for Wang Zhao. The moment his gaze left him, Hai Di relaxed slightly, feeling thankful that he wasn’t human right now; any physiological reactions would have gone unnoticed.
“Time for breakfast,” Wang Zhao said.
“One second.” Jiang Si went back to put the doll in his backpack, then headed out with it.
As for Xiao Fengxian… she hadn’t come back all night. Who knew where she’d gone.
There were only a few people in the restaurant. The first person Jiang Si noticed was Director Zhang, wearing a khaki utility vest and a baseball cap. He was talking to a man who looked to be in his fifties. The assistant director was hovering nearby, and the three of them were muttering about something.
“That’s the guesthouse owner,” Wang Zhao whispered when he saw Jiang Si looking over.
Jiang Si nodded and sat down to eat.
Suddenly, Director Zhang became agitated, his voice rising considerably. “How can you say it’s nonsense when I saw it with my own eyes? There is something wrong with that mountain!”
The other diners couldn’t help but turn to look.
“Well, in that case,” the owner said, “there’s a master who lives in seclusion nearby. He’s very accurate. He happens to be at home these days. Why don’t you invite him over to take a look?”
“A master?” Director Zhang was tempted, but yesterday’s experience made him cautious. “How old is this master?”
“Over fifty…”
“He’s the one!” Director Zhang slapped the table, immediately asking the owner for the address so he could go invite the man personally.
Wang Zhao, who was sitting close enough to overhear, frowned in displeasure. “You don’t hire two masters for the same job. How could Director Zhang do that?”
“What are you so worked up about? If that master is capable, it saves me the effort.” Jiang Si took a slow bite of a steamed bun, swallowed, and then continued, “But I have a feeling this is going to be a long shot.”
“How so?” Wang Zhao asked curiously.
“Take a guess,” Jiang Si replied with a sly grin.
.
While they were waiting for the master, Jiang Si unzipped his backpack a little to let Hai Di get some air.
Xiao Fengxian also floated back in, plopping down onto a random chair. She rested her sharp chin on the back of her hand, looking weary. “So boring. There’s nothing to do around here.”
“Where did you go?” Jiang Si asked.
Wang Zhao walked over with a plate of sliced apples, thinking the question was for him. “I got some fruit from the kitchen. Want some?”
“No, thanks.” Jiang Si shook his head.
Xiao Fengxian answered, “I just wandered around nearby. This place is seriously remote. There are maybe ten households within a five-mile radius, and an old school, but it’s long since been abandoned.”
Jiang Si nodded impassively.
Seeing he wasn’t going to move, Wang Zhao started eating the fruit himself. He’d only had a couple of bites when he saw a group of people returning in high spirits.
Director Zhang was chatting and laughing with a middle-aged man. The man was wearing a black Tang suit shirt, his salt-and-pepper hair tied up in a Taoist topknot. His features were sharp and clear, and he carried himself with the otherworldly bearing of a true master.
In that one glance, Wang Zhao knew exactly where his friend had lost.
This old fellow definitely looked a lot more reliable than Jiang Si.
“Old Jiang, you might have been wrong. This guy looks like he has real skills,” Wang Zhao whispered, peeking at Jiang Si.
“There you go again, getting worked up.”
Jiang Si’s tone was light. He stood up, walked over, and inserted himself into their conversation. “Sir, are you a practitioner of the Tao? I noticed your walk has the quality of the Cloud-Stepping Gait.”
“…Is this young friend also with the film crew?” the master asked, taken aback, looking toward Directors Zhang and Li.
“Yes, yes.” Director Zhang rubbed his nose, knowing he had been rude by not following proper etiquette.
The master understood. He smiled pleasantly. “You have a good eye, young friend. I do indeed practice the Cloud-Stepping Gait to strengthen my body.”
“May I ask your name, Master?” Jiang Si asked with a smile. “You can just call me Little Jiang.”
“You’re too kind. My surname is Wei.”
“So, it’s Master Wei.” Jiang Si nodded, then grabbed the confused Wang Zhao and pushed him forward.
“Master, my friend here is the crew’s screenwriter. He was with Director Zhang on the mountain yesterday and witnessed both accidents. He was so terrified he didn’t dare sleep a wink all night. Just look at the dark circles under his eyes… Could you see if he’s picked up anything unclean? He can’t rest easy otherwise.”
Wang Zhao shot Jiang Si a frantic look, but Jiang Si ignored him, looking at Master Wei with utmost sincerity, awaiting his response.
Master Wei was used to people beating around the bush for ages before getting to the point. This was the first time someone had been so direct.
He couldn’t refuse in front of so many people.
The smile on his face didn’t waver. His eyes scanned Wang Zhao, but when his gaze reached his back, his expression suddenly turned stern.
His tone grew grave. “This young friend does indeed have a touch of yin energy about him. It’s only natural that he would have trouble sleeping at night.”
“?”
Wang Zhao blinked. He had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow last night and had slept like a log.
The expressions on Director Zhang and the assistant director’s faces changed instantly. They looked at Wang Zhao with a hint of pity.
No wonder he has such terrible dark circles every day. He’s being haunted by yin energy!
Jiang Si feigned surprise to match the master’s tone. “So it’s true! In that case, could you check all of us while you’re at it?”
Master Wei’s smile froze. Check everyone?
There were at least a hundred people on the crew. Checking them one by one would kill him.
No, I can’t waste my time on this.
Master Wei nodded, took a few random steps, then flung out an arm and fell into deep thought, his brow furrowed.
The others assumed he was performing some kind of ritual and didn’t dare to speak.
After a long moment, Master Wei let out a slow breath. “It’s alright. That thing is not so powerful. For now, you are all safe. However, I will need to go up the mountain to investigate before I can make a final judgment.”
“Oh, that’s good, that’s good.”
“Thank you, Master Wei…”
“Thank you, Master…”
Director Zhang led the chorus of relieved and grateful voices.
Wang Zhao was completely baffled. “Is that for real?” he asked nervously. “Do I really have something on me?”
Jiang Si slapped him on the shoulder and lowered his voice. “No, he’s messing with you.”
“Huh? Why would he mess with me?”
Jiang Si took a deep breath. “…When you guys get old, you’re all going to have to buy health supplements from me.”
Xiao Fengxian floated over to Jiang Si’s side and pointed at a faint white shadow behind the assistant director. “How strange,” she mused. “It doesn’t react no matter what I do. You don’t think it’s a fool, do you?”
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