The glaring light from the white incandescent bulb shone directly onto the phone screen. Perhaps the light was too harsh, or maybe her head truly ached, but the pure black text on the white background began to dance like little figures scampering about, making her eyes hurt as well.
Ye Xi leaned back against the sofa, her hands resting on her knees, gripping the phone tightly as she stared into space.
An overwhelming sense of absurdity nearly drowned her, and an irregular heartbeat stirred in her chest.
The scorching heat wrapped around her once more, damp warmth clinging to her skin and tautening her nerves.
Before Ye Xi could figure out what was happening, the messages in the chat vanished one by one, replaced by a voice message from Ye Tan.
Ye Tan: “Xiao Xi, you probably didn’t see those messages just now, right?”
The familiar, gentle voice eased Ye Xi’s tension, but the probing tone left her unsure how to respond.
Since childhood, it had just been her and her grandmother Ye Tan at home. Ye Xi always considered how hard it was for an elderly woman to raise her alone, so she often prioritized Ye Tan’s feelings. Hearing the hopeful plea in Ye Tan’s voice—that she desperately hoped Ye Xi hadn’t seen the messages—Ye Xi hesitated about voicing her mounting questions.
Before Ye Xi could decide, that voice message was withdrawn, and a second one arrived.
“Xiao Xi, some lunatic who was obsessed with gaming just snatched my phone. If you saw those messages, just ignore them.”
Mixed in was a very low, furious roar: “Ye Tan, I’m not a lunatic!”
Soon, that interrupting female voice was withdrawn too, followed by Ye Tan’s voice, laced with anger: “Xiao Xi, stay away from that woman across the hall. Nothing good has ever come from her family—not since their ancestral grave!”
Withdrawal.
…
Ye Xi stared at the screen full of withdrawals, her fingertips turning white from gripping the phone.
In Ye Xi’s memory, Ye Tan had always been easygoing, a refined and courteous old lady. Those angry words were completely unlike her usual self.
Ye Tan seemed to be quarreling with someone.
With that phone-snatching lunatic? Or the woman who had interrupted?
They were probably the same person.
Just as Ye Xi was about to reply, Ye Tan called.
“Grandma.”
Her sweet, smooth voice caused a brief pause on Ye Tan’s end. “Xiao Xi, your throat isn’t sore anymore? You didn’t run into anyone, did you?”
Even over the phone, Ye Xi could picture Ye Tan’s anxious expression. She suppressed her questions and deliberately brightened her voice to sound innocent and lively. “Grandma, it rained in the complex earlier. For some reason, after getting drenched, my throat stopped hurting. Isn’t that great?”
“As long as it was the rain.”
Ye Tan sighed in relief on her end, then quickly changed the subject. “Xiao Xi, I was just messing around with emojis earlier and accidentally sent a few to you. You didn’t see them, right?”
The probing was even more obvious now.
No illusion.
Ye Tan really didn’t want her to know anything.
Ye Xi sighed inwardly and pushed down her doubts, keeping her voice steady. “I didn’t see them. Grandma, you’re going too far. I used to teach you how to use emojis at home, and you said it was bad for your image. Now that I’ve moved out, you’re playing with them yourself?”
She went along with Ye Tan, giving the answer Ye Tan wanted to hear.
Ye Xi had never really gone through a rebellious phase. She tried her best to follow Ye Tan’s wishes, even though Ye Tan never demanded obedience or imposed strict rules.
It was self-discipline, a sense of responsibility.
Ye Tan had always been gentle and indulgent toward her, especially after losing her son, daughter-in-law, and husband. Ye Xi wanted to make her grandmother’s job of raising her as easy as possible.
They were each other’s only family. Ye Xi didn’t believe Ye Tan would ever harm her, so she never asked about things Ye Tan didn’t want to explain.
Hearing her response, Ye Tan relaxed noticeably. They chatted and laughed for a while before Ye Tan circled back. “Um… Xiao Xi, how’s it going in your new place? Have you met anyone?”
“Nope.”
Ye Tan fell silent for a long time. Just as Ye Xi thought the call had dropped, her voice returned.
“Not even any pretty neighbors?”
She was asking about Shen Mingjin.
Ye Xi recalled that inexplicable rule and Ye Tan’s furious shout. She felt like Shen Mingjin held some incredibly important role in a story she didn’t know, repeatedly brought up like this. It sparked intense curiosity in Ye Xi about her.
Ye Xi couldn’t help replaying her interactions with Shen Mingjin, but her thoughts landed first on that cool kiss.
A faint coolness seemed to linger on her lips, and the air still carried that sweet, soft fragrance.
Ye Xi blushed in embarrassment. Even knowing Ye Tan couldn’t see, she felt a twinge of guilt. “N-no, none.”
In Ye Tan’s mind, her granddaughter was always obedient and honest, with no concept of lying. She believed Ye Xi easily, her tone lightening. “Xiao Xi, just settle in there for now. I’ll come pick you up soon—I won’t really make you stay for half a year.”
Lady Ye Tan was getting on in years, her memory fading a bit. She probably forgot that she’d sent Ye Xi there under the pretense of recuperating.
Recuperate for half a year and she’d be cured—yeah, definitely forgotten.
Ye Xi felt a bit helpless but agreed anyway.
Ye Tan chatted a couple more sentences, then couldn’t resist instructing her. “Xiao Xi, don’t talk to strangers. Don’t make friends with anyone in the complex, especially the pretty ones—they’re all very good at deceiving people.”
Was she talking about Shen Mingjin again?
Was Shen Mingjin really that deceptive?
It seemed accurate.
Ever since meeting Shen Mingjin, nothing out of her mouth had been truthful. But Ye Tan’s warning came too late—don’t talk to strangers was too much to ask now. Not only had she talked to Shen Mingjin, they’d even kissed.
Though Shen Mingjin had initiated the kiss, according to those rules, Ye Xi bore full responsibility.
Ye Xi didn’t dare tell Ye Tan about kissing Shen Mingjin. Every word out of her mouth was a lie. “Grandma, I got it. I’ll stay home obediently and go nowhere!”
Hearing her sweet compliance, Ye Tan finally hung up, ending this conversation full of lies from both sides.
Once the call ended, Ye Xi felt utterly drained. She slumped against the sofa, eyes glazed as she stared blankly at the hanging incandescent light.
She could now confirm that something was wrong with Half-Mountain Spirit Garden. Both Shen Mingjin and Ye Tan seemed off. When Ye Tan sent those voice messages, the phone-snatcher was right there—likely her grandmother’s friend.
Those game-rule-like messages weren’t sent for no reason; they might be useful to her.
Ye Xi opened her phone’s notes app and jotted down the four rules from memory. When her gaze hit the third one, her mouth twitched violently, and she snapped the phone shut.
She had broken every single one.
Good thing this didn’t seem like a game, or Ye Tan really would have shown up with a coffin to collect her. But what exactly was this place?
Feng shui that could heal illnesses, problematic ancestral graves… Ye Xi’s materialist worldview was crumbling fast.
Suddenly, Shen Mingjin’s voice echoed in her ears—asking why she was human. Ye Xi’s heart pounded like a drum, her foggy mind sharpening instantly.
Could there really be ghosts in this world?
Shen Mingjin’s body temperature was so low. Could she be…
Ye Xi sat up straighter on instinct, suddenly feeling a chill on her neck. She snatched up a throw pillow with her right hand and hugged it tightly with both arms, seeking a sense of security.
She’d only been thinking of Ye Tan earlier, but now Ye Xi truly regretted it.
The unknown was almost synonymous with fear.
Ye Xi’s gaze slid past her phone; she still didn’t call back. Ye Tan had a habit of not explaining things to her. Back then, Ye Tan never told her why other kids were in kindergarten while she lived in the mountains facing wild boars and venomous snakes…
She could feel Ye Tan’s love for her, but when Ye Tan was busy with work, she’d leave her alone in the mountains, unconcerned that such a small child might get eaten by beasts.
Ye Tan had many secrets she couldn’t share.
Perhaps…
Ye Xi’s eyes darted toward the door. Could she go ask Shen Mingjin?
