As soon as I opened the door, I bumped into something.

 

It was soft and bouncy, quite a nice feeling!

 

Upon closer inspection, I saw a woman standing opposite me with delicate features and a statuesque figure, dressed in a uniform that seemed to barely contain her. It was the beautiful police officer, Yang Rong!

 

Yang Rong gave me a once-over and, seeing the large and small bags in my hands, snorted coldly, "Planning to leave town?"

 

"Not at all!"

 

I quickly denied it: "Even if I wanted to run, where could I possibly go?"

 

"That's true!"

 

Yang Rong didn't press further and walked in, asking, "Have you heard anything about Xu Hui these past few days?"

 

I shook my head.

 

"Alright then!"

 

Yang Rong seemed to be in a bad mood.

 

I asked, "Officer Yang, is something troubling you?"

 

Yang Rong replied, "This case is about to be transferred, and I won't be in charge anymore. So, I wanted to talk to you again to see if there's been any progress!"

 

"It's difficult!"

 

I said, "You know, this case involves some supernatural events. Even if there were a breakthrough, you might not be able to grasp it!"

 

"Sigh…"

 

Yang Rong sighed and said, "Can't you do some calculations for me? You're good at that, right?"

 

I swallowed hard as I looked at her tall figure and said, "My little parlor tricks can at best predict your D-cup size!"

 

"Drop dead!"

 

Yang Rong glared at me and said, "Sooner or later, I'll have to arrest you again to keep you in line!"

 

Thinking of my impending doom, I gave a wry smile and said, "I hope so!"

 

It was eight o'clock in the evening.

 

The journey from the city back to my rural hometown would take nearly two hours.

 

Worried about getting home too late and everyone being asleep, I said, "Big Sis, any other instructions?"

 

Yang Rong, preoccupied, said, "You go ahead with your business, don't mind me!"

 

"Alright then!"

 

I breathed a sigh of relief and left with my bags.

 

At the door, I heard Yang Rong muttering to herself, "Hm? What did he just call me?"

 

…

 

It had rained all day, and after leaving the city, the road conditions worsened significantly.

 

By the time I reached Qingyang Town, it was already ten o'clock at night.

 

To make matters worse, as I was passing through a low-lying area, the car seemed to have water in the engine and stalled!

 

"Damn it!"

 

I cursed as I got out of the car and looked around; there was nowhere to get it fixed.

 

Not just a repair shop, but even the streetlights on both sides of the road were off.

 

In such a remote town, where outsiders seldom visited, every household had long since turned off their lights and gone to bed!

 

"What should I do?"

 

I was frantic.

 

From Qingyang Town back to Wang Family Village was more than ten miles. Without a car, I feared I'd be walking until midnight!

 

Just as I was at a loss, an electric scooter approached from the end of the street.

 

As it drew near, I saw it was a young woman in her twenties or thirties, plump and fair-skinned, wearing a black dress, looking quite tender and fresh!

 

"Sis Mudan!"

 

I shouted.

 

"Ah!"

 

Startled by my shout, she nearly fell off.

 

I hurried over to steady the scooter and chuckled, "Sorry, Sis Mudan, did I scare you?"

 

Pan Mudan, originally from my village, had married into our Wang Family Village during my college summer break.

 

According to seniority, I should call Pan Mudan 'sister-in-law,' but young people nowadays find 'sister-in-law' old-fashioned and unpleasant, so she let me call her 'sister.'

 

"It's you, Little Yuan!"

 

Seeing it was me, Pan Mudan breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest, "You scared me to death in the middle of the night!"

 

Before I could speak, Pan Mudan asked, "Little Yuan, it's not a holiday, so why are you back?"

 

I replied, "I haven't been home in a long time, just came to visit."

 

"I see!"

 

Pan Mudan looked around and finally her gaze landed on the stalled taxi, probing, "Did you buy it?"

 

"Yep!"

 

I nodded and said, "It broke down here!"

 

"Look at you, Little Yuan!"

 

Pan Mudan patted my head and said, "College students are different. You've only graduated a few years, and you've already bought a car!"

 

I awkwardly said, "It's a second-hand car, and it's a taxi, not worth much!"

 

"It still has four wheels!"

 

After a pause, Pan Mudan said, "Hop on, I'll take you home!"

 

"Thanks, sis!"

 

I picked up my bags and sat in the back.

 

The evening breeze brought a fragrance, all from Pan Mudan.

 

I took a deep breath, my mind wandering…

 

Just as I was enjoying the moment with my eyes closed, there was a puddle ahead!

 

"Ouch!"

 

I felt my body sway and almost fell off!

 

In a panic, I grabbed wildly and barely stabilized myself.

 

But soon, I realized something was wrong!

 

What I grabbed… felt off!

 

"Cough cough…"

 

I coughed to hide my nervousness and moved my hands down to the sides, away from the sensitive area.

 

Pan Mudan must have known it wasn't intentional, as she continued to ride without a word, as if nothing had happened.

 

But I could clearly see her ears, even the base of her neck, were flushed…

 

I tried to dispel the awkward atmosphere by casually asking, "Sis Mudan, why are you returning home so late?"

 

Pan Mudan replied, "I work at the textile factory in town. Today was actually early for me; sometimes I have to work overtime all night!"

 

"I see!"

 

I sincerely praised, "Brother Tongzhu is really lucky to have married such a capable and beautiful wife like you!"

 

Pan Mudan scoffed and said, "I'm almost thirty, what beauty! Save those sweet words for the city girls!"

 

"No, no!"

 

I said, "I really mean it!"

 

After chatting for a bit, Pan Mudan suddenly asked, "By the way, Little Yuan, didn't your girlfriend come back with you?"

 

I replied, "I'm a lone wolf, where would I get a girlfriend?"

 

"Really?"

 

Pan Mudan seemed surprised and looked back at me, "You're good-looking and sweet-talking, and now you've even bought a car. How can you not have a girlfriend?"

 

"Sis, focus on driving!"

 

I gestured for Pan Mudan to turn her head back and said, "I'm really single! I had a girlfriend in college, but we broke up after graduation!"

 

"Don't be too picky!"

 

Pan Mudan said pensively, "I know some nice girls, but I'm afraid you won't be interested!"

 

At that moment, I wanted to say, let's arrange a meeting!

 

But soon, my mood sank.

 

The Ghost Qi was about to take over, and I didn't know how many days I had left to live.

 

Thinking about dating?

 

I'm afraid that will have to wait for the next life!

 

"Typical pickiness!"

 

Seeing that I didn't respond, Pan Mudan thought I agreed.

 

We chatted sporadically, and time flew by quickly.

 

Before I knew it, we had reached the edge of the village.

 

Pan Mudan knew my house was in the first row.

 

She stopped the scooter where there was no water on the road and instructed, "Watch your step, don't step in the water!"

 

"Thanks, Sis Mudan!"

 

I carried a bag of cash and looked at the house in the night, feeling sentimental.

 

I reached the door and started knocking.

 

After several knocks, there was no response from inside.

 

I checked my phone, and it was already eleven o'clock at night.

 

Villagers rise early and sleep early too; people of my parents' generation usually go to bed around nine o'clock.

 

At this hour, they were deep in sleep!

 

I was eager to see my parents.

 

But I didn't want to disturb their rest.

 

After hesitating for a moment, I went around to the west side of the wall.

 

Village houses are generally not tall, especially ones like mine that are a bit old; the courtyard wall was just over two meters, and with a running start, it wouldn't be hard to climb over!

 

I threw my bag over first, then backed up three meters.

 

Just as I was about to run, I heard the sound of water from the toilet.

 

Turning my head, I saw a pretty young woman under the moonlight, adjusting her skirt as she walked out—it was Pan Mudan.

 

"Little Yuan?"

 

Seeing me, Pan Mudan paused and asked, "Why haven't you gone home yet?"

 

I replied, "The door's locked, and I think my parents are asleep."

 

"You shouldn't be climbing over the wall!"

 

Pan Mudan laughed so hard she could barely stand straight: "If word gets out that you had to climb over the wall to get into your own house, the whole village will have a good laugh! And you're a college graduate, did you learn to be silly at school?"

 

Her laughter made me feel a bit sheepish, and I scratched my head, "Then what do you suggest?"

 

"Uncle and Auntie aren't in good health, waking them up in the middle of the night isn't good…"

 

Pan Mudan thought for a moment, and said:

 

"How about going to my house?"