"Let's call it a day, son. Head home, change into something dry, hop on your electric bike, grab some meat and seafood from the town, and tell Aunt Wu to whip up a feast. We'll have a nice lunch together!" My dad's face beamed with joy as he spoke. I nodded solemnly without uttering a word.

My mind still echoed the events that transpired earlier. The memory of the girl's corpse, the upward curve of her lips, the pitch-black eyes opening—instilled a sense of fear within me.

Back home, after changing into dry clothes, my dad handed me a thousand bucks from the one hundred thousand he received. I hesitated, unaccustomed to such generosity. Throughout my life, my dad rarely gave me more than fifty bucks. He was frugal, always handing out three to five bucks.

"Dad, why are you giving me so much money?"

"I noticed you don't have decent clothes. Take this money, get yourself some good clothes in town. Whatever is left, use it to buy groceries. Buy whatever you like. After shopping, drop it off at Aunt Wu's place." My dad handed me the money generously.

"Dad, since you divorced Mom, you haven't been with anyone else. It's about time. Aunt Wu has shown some interest since her husband passed away. You know her, she's kind, straightforward, and hardworking. Why not use this hundred grand as a dowry and marry Aunt Wu?" I earnestly suggested.

"Get lost! Mind your own business. I'm not too old to manage my affairs!" My dad faux-angered, pointing towards our house's entrance, bellowing at me.

"Sigh!" I sighed deeply, taking the money and riding my electric bike towards town.

That's my dad for you—quick to raise his voice. He never reasoned with me calmly. Each time, it left a sour taste, but what could I do? He's my dad, and I'm his son, bound to endure his whims.

Our town, named Jinhua, stood as the economic powerhouse of Yunhai City and ranked among China's top one hundred towns. The town boasted seventy thousand acres of fertile land and a thriving mix of light and heavy industries.

Arriving in town, I discovered it was market day. Stalls lined the streets, selling everything from clothes and meat to seafood, groceries, rat poison, fruits, ornamental fish, and more. Jinhua held a grand market every fourth and ninth day of the month, drawing people from miles around.

It had been a while since I last attended the market. Parking my electric bike on the right side of the bank, I joyfully strolled through the market. The crowd, predominantly middle-aged and older, seemed different today.

Strangely, as I wandered the market, I felt eyes on me. Each time I turned, there was nothing unusual, but the sensation persisted.

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After covering about fifty meters, a middle-aged man suddenly grabbed my arm, startling me.

Turning to look at the man, around fifty-seven years old, about 1.7 meters tall, thin, with long hair tied in a bun, wearing a grey Taoist robe, black pants, and old-style black cloth shoes. His eyebrows met in the middle, and his eyes, though not large, held a mysterious gleam. He had a distinctive nose, a large mouth with thick lips, and sported a goatee.

From his attire, it was clear he was a Taoist, though whether a genuine one remained uncertain. Nowadays, many disguised themselves as monks and Taoists, peddling fake sutras, false talismans, and swindling people.

Behind him was a stall covered with a yellow cloth featuring a golden eight trigrams in the center, surrounded by words advertising fortune-telling, divination, palmistry, physiognomy, naming, Feng Shui, and tomb relocation. A divination jar, a Feng Shui compass, a brush, cinnabar ink, yellow talisman paper, and more adorned the stall.

"Do you need something?" I asked the Taoist, sensing he was no ordinary one.

"Young man, I've noticed a gray aura on your forehead, and you're surrounded by Yin energy. You must have encountered something unclean." The Taoist spoke sternly.

"Listen, I don't have time for this nonsense. Let go, I need to buy things." I tried to free my arm, but his grip was strong, and my patience waned.

"You have an illness, my friend. Yin energy clings to you. It seems you've come across a wrongful death, someone with heavy resentment and Yin energy. Their lingering energy can bring misfortune—loss of wealth, constant bad luck, health issues like dizziness and weakness, fluctuating body temperature as if running a fever..."

"Alright, alright, spare me. I know where this is going. I don't have time for your stories. I'm busy!" I interrupted him, forcibly pulling my arm away. However, his grip tightened, adding an unwelcome layer of annoyance.

"If you don't believe me, young man, I won't force you. Here's my business card; you might need it someday. I'm Li Chenyuanshan, a Taoist from Maoshan. I run a Daoist temple named 'Daozun Hall' in the Yuanyao district of the city." The Taoist handed me a card, looking at me earnestly. I reluctantly accepted it, feeling a bit uneasy.

I ignored him, planning to dispose of the card. Oddly, I tucked it into my pocket. Heading to a cheap men's clothing store, I intended to buy new shoes and jeans. Spending 186 yuan for both, I was about to pay when I discovered the slash in my pocket—money missing.

"Sorry, sir. My pocket was cut open, and the money is gone. Can't buy these." I pointed at the cut pocket, apologizing to the shopkeeper, my face flushing.

"Someone sliced your pocket with a knife. Your money got stolen," the shopkeeper remarked, sympathetically understanding the situation.

I nodded apologetically and left the store in a hurry. I walked back towards where the Taoist had his stall, only to find he'd packed up and left, replaced by a woman selling salted duck eggs. Standing there, the plump woman wore an expectant expression, hoping I'd buy her eggs.

My money was gone, and my mood darkened. As I prepared to leave, a breeze kicked up, and a business card fluttered down at my feet. Bending down, I picked it up. The card had "Daozun Hall" printed on the front, along with the services offered. The back had "Li Chenyuanshan" and a phone number.

Considering discarding it, I unexpectedly slipped it into my pocket. Walking briskly towards where I parked my electric bike, I was met with a sinking realization—the bike was nowhere to be seen. Panic set in, beads of cold sweat forming on my forehead.

"This is it. Another round of scolding at home," I muttered, my face showing the anguish of an unfortunate day.