"Wuwa--"

Because we were too close, the little ghost on my back didn't have time to dodge and was hit by the red light. A burst of ghostly energy erupted from its body as it screamed and fell off my back.

Realizing the danger, the little ghost quickly crawled and scrambled out of the bedroom before I could turn around.

I hurriedly chased after it, but in the dim night, there was no trace of the little ghost.

I sighed with relief, knowing that the little ghost wouldn't dare to bother me anymore.

Although I temporarily drove away the ghost on my back, Xie Qiang still had the little girl on his.

I couldn't sleep either. I ground cinnabar and spread yellow paper, drawing several talismans in one go. When I looked up, I realized it was already dawn, marked by the crowing of roosters.

Summer days started early, so I rushed out of the house and ran straight to Xie Qiang's home.

Xie Qiang's mother was surprised to see me so early and asked why I was looking for Xie Qiang.

I casually said Xie Qiang had invited me to go to town, but since he was still sleeping, I decided to come back early.

Xie Qiang's mother mentioned that he was still in bed and told me to go upstairs and find him myself.

I reached Xie Qiang's bedroom and knocked on the door, but there was no response for a long time. The room remained silent.

My heart tightened. What could be happening? Could something have happened to Xie Qiang?

I gritted my teeth, ready to burst into the room, but just as I was about to, the door suddenly opened, and I crashed into emptiness, exclaiming as I tumbled inside.

Shaking my head to clear the stars dancing in front of my eyes, I looked up and immediately saw a pair of red sandals right in front of me.

Following the red sandals upwards, I saw two sturdy hairy legs covered in sweat.

When I looked further up, I saw Xie Qiang looking wilted, as if he had fallen seriously ill.

Seeing Xie Qiang's poor complexion, I knew it was because of the little girl ghost.

I reached into my pocket, took out a ghost-expelling talisman, and got up from the ground, planning to slap it on Xie Qiang's back.

But my hand froze in mid-air. Huh? The little girl ghost that was hanging around Xie Qiang's neck last night was actually gone?!

Xie Qiang noticed the ghost-expelling talisman in my hand and asked curiously what I was doing.

Embarrassed, I smiled and didn't mention the little girl ghost. Instead, I told him, "Here, I'll give you a talisman. Stick it on your door for protection!"

Xie Qiang thanked me and took the ghost-expelling talisman to the door.

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I saw Xie Qiang walking with a normal gait, and when I looked down, I realized the pair of red sandals that were originally on his feet were gone. Xie Qiang was now walking barefoot, much more comfortable.

Frowning, I asked Xie Qiang if he was alright.

Xie Qiang said, "I might have caught a cold yesterday. My waist and back were sore, and I couldn't even get up. I didn't sleep well all night. When you knocked on the door just now, it was a struggle for me to get up. But strangely enough, you seem to be my lucky star. Since you arrived, the soreness and discomfort in my back have slowly disappeared. I feel much better now!"

I nodded without saying much. It seemed that the little girl ghost had probably run away before I entered, or perhaps she was hiding somewhere.

I gave Xie Qiang two more ghost-expelling talismans and instructed him to stick one on his back if he felt any more discomfort.

Xie Qiang curiously asked me what kind of talisman it was and why it had the effect of a plaster.

I said, "Don't worry about it. This is my latest developed talisman. As long as it benefits you, that's all that matters."

I told Xie Qiang to rest more and not go to the river to play during this period since there were dirty things in the water.

After leaving Xie Qiang's house, Xie Qiang's mother asked if I was going to town to play. I replied that Xie Qiang was lazy and couldn't get out of bed, so our outing plan was canceled.

After thinking for a while, I decided to talk to Elder Yu about this matter and ask the village committee to issue a notice, prohibiting villagers from going near the river and preventing tragedies from happening.

Passing by Er Gou's house, I saw that a funeral altar had been set up in their yard. Sounds of mourning and wailing filled the air, exuding a strong sense of sadness.

Just then, Elder Yu walked over to Er Gou's house. As a respected elder in the village, he always played a role in both joyful and sorrowful occasions.

Before I had a chance to talk to Elder Yu, he approached me and pulled me aside, wearing a grave expression, asking about the ghostly happenings in the river.

"Yang Cheng, the village has been spreading rumors about water ghosts in the river. Is it true?" Elder Yu asked.

I nodded, saying it was true, and that I had already dealt with the water ghosts myself.

Elder Yu furrowed his brows and asked, "So, does this mean Er Gou's death is also related to the water ghost?"

I made a sound of agreement and said I was working hard to resolve the matter but needed the cooperation of the village committee.

Elder Yu immediately assured me that the village would definitely cooperate and inquired about my requirements.

I suggested two things to Elder Yu: first, distribute notices to every household immediately, prohibiting anyone from going to the riverbank to play; second, assign someone to patrol and maintain vigilance along the river, preventing mischievous children from secretly sneaking to the riverbank while also closely monitoring the situation there and immediately notifying me of any unusual activities.

Elder Yu promised to take care of these matters and promptly arranged for people to fulfill my requests.

That afternoon, notices prohibiting riverbank play were posted at each household's entrance, instantly creating a tense atmosphere in the village.

Meanwhile, the village committee hired a skilled swimmer called the "Water Monkey" as a patrol officer. They set up a shed on the riverbank where the Water Monkey would be on duty day and night.

The village committee took care of the Water Monkey's food and drink and brought him watermelons, beer, peanuts, and other things.

The Water Monkey felt at ease, lying under the cool shed, enjoying the river breeze while eating watermelon, looking content.

I reminded the Water Monkey not to take it lightly and gave him a ghost-expelling talisman as a gift, instructing him to use it in case of emergencies.

The Water Monkey dismissed it with a nonchalant response, raising the iron rod in his hand and grinning, "If any water ghosts dare to come out, I'll smack them back into the water with this stick!"

A quiet night passed.

The next morning, as I held a bowl, ready to eat breakfast, I saw my father returning from outside, completely drenched.

Seeing my father in such a state, I was instantly startled and asked what happened. Did he go to the river?

My father took off his soaked coat, wiped the water off his face with a towel, and said, "The Water Monkey, who was in charge of guarding the river, died. Early this morning, Elder Yu called us all to the river to recover the Water Monkey's body!"

Upon hearing this, my head buzzed and exploded.

When I left yesterday, I was worried that something might happen, so I repeatedly reminded the Water Monkey, but unexpectedly, something still went wrong.