"Ouyang is really crazy." Lin Fan frowned at the thought of him. "I think he was just trying to scare me, so I didn't pay much attention."

"Crazy how?"

Ouyang Yu? Probably only Lin Fan would call him crazy. Qin Feng thought about the man and stubbed out his cigarette.

"He acted all mysterious. Now that I think about it, I never posted any information about looking for a house on any website, yet he messaged me about renting the house on Zhongming Road. He said it would be fine for a hundred yuan, so his goal wasn't to rent the house."

Qin Feng pondered, "With Ouyang Yu's wealth, he wouldn't be renting out houses. He had other motives—did he bully you?" Qin Feng braked and turned to look at Lin Fan. "Hmm?"

Lin Fan shook her head. "We didn't meet many times. The first time was when I rented the house. After that, he told me I would die if I left that building soon. He said my life was extended."

Qin Feng started the car again, his face turning serious and cold.

"How did he know?"

"I don't know either. He's really crazy." Lin Fan thought about their last meeting, the sticky, snake-like gaze he had given her, which made her shudder. She found him disgusting and didn't like Ouyang Yu.

"Did he have intentions toward you?" Qin Feng analyzed the possible motives.

Lin Fan didn't respond, glaring at him.

"I mean, was he interested in your ability to see spirits?"

"Maybe." Lin Fan suddenly realized, "He might know some esoteric arts."

Qin Feng thought of Su Ran's case. Ouyang Yu knew esoteric arts, but there was no evidence or motive for him to commit the crime of heart extraction. Could it be some kind of sacrificial ritual?

They soon arrived at the village, which was pitch dark. Qin Feng got out of the car and turned on his flashlight, illuminating the surroundings. Suddenly, a dog barked, and Lin Fan got out of the car and shouted in the local dialect. A dog leapt out of the darkness, and Qin Feng turned to see it playing with Lin Fan.

"Is this your dog?"

"It's called Dahuang, my neighbor's dog."

Qin Feng, who had previously handled police dogs, reached out to pet the dog's head. Lin Fan warned, "Careful, it might bite you—"

Dahuang whimpered and sat down, rubbing against Qin Feng's hand, looking very docile.

Lin Fan was speechless.

In the distance, a light came on. Lin Fan pointed ahead. "Let's go over there."

Dahuang excitedly wagged his tail like a propeller and rushed into the yard, then ran back out. As they pushed open the wooden gate, Lin Fan saw the main door open. "Who's there?"

"Grandpa, it's me."

Lin Fan called out, and after a few seconds of silence, an old voice replied, "Lass?"

Lin Fan walked to the door, smiling in the light, showing her white teeth. "I came back to visit. Do you still have the key to Grandma's house? Can I go and take a look?"

The old man was surprised to see Lin Fan but quickly responded, "Yes, your father left the key here when he left. Do you want to go now?"

"I'll go and have a look."

Her father had sold everything from their old home, and that house should belong to this distant grandfather.

"Wait a moment."

Soon, the old man handed Lin Fan a bunch of keys. "Why are you back? Didn't your father take you away?"

Lin Fan held the keys and sighed. "My father passed away."

"What? What happened?"

"An accident."

"Do you want to come in and sit down?"

"No, I'll come see you tomorrow."

The old man watched Lin Fan walk out the gate. His eyesight wasn't good, and he only heard Lin Fan talking to someone. He didn't see anyone and broke out in a cold sweat. He hurriedly closed the door and went inside. His wife asked, "Did the lass come back?"

"Yes." The old man sat on the bed, lighting his tobacco pipe and frowning as he smoked. "Do you think the lass is a person or a ghost? I saw her talking to herself just now."

"Maybe she brought someone back." The old lady was also frightened. "Did her father pass away?"

"Yes." The old man finished his pipe and tapped out the ashes on the table. "If she brought someone, why didn't I see them?"

"That lass has had a hard life."

A sigh.

Qin Feng turned on a light and took Lin Fan's hand, walking side by side on the narrow village path. He wore a black short-sleeve shirt, and his skin was dark, almost blending into the night.

His fingers were warm and slightly rough, causing Lin Fan's palm to sweat.

"How many people live here?"

"About a dozen households." Lin Fan said, "All the young people have gone to the city; only the elderly are left."

Their shoes made sounds on the uneven ground. Crickets chirped in the distance, and a few scattered stars offered scant light in the sky.

"We're here," Lin Fan said.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Qin Feng shone the flashlight ahead. There was a wooden gate and a brick wall.

Lin Fan took out the keys and unlocked the door. Qin Feng surveyed the surroundings and followed her.

"The power might be off."

"Where is the switch?" Qin Feng asked.

"In the side room," Lin Fan said, looking for a ladder. "It's a bit high up."

Qin Feng shone the flashlight and saw the switch above the side room window. He bit the flashlight, climbed onto the window, and flipped the switch. The lights came on. Qin Feng jumped down, dusting off his hands and taking down the flashlight.

"All set."

Lin Fan put the ladder back and silently looked up at the sky. "Being tall has its advantages."

The room was cool and smelled musty.

In the middle of the house hung an old lady's photograph. Qin Feng turned off the flashlight and stopped to look. Lin Fan found a cloth to wipe a chair clean for Qin Feng to sit, but he remained standing. "Is this your grandmother?"

Lin Fan nodded. "Yes."

She took out incense from a drawer, but the matches were damp and wouldn't light. Qin Feng handed her a lighter.

"Thank you."

Lin Fan placed the incense in its holder and paid her respects. Qin Feng did the same, feeling as if he was meeting her family.

"Can you sleep here?" Lin Fan walked to the room on the west side, which had only a small bed. "I used to live here."

She took out some bedding from the cabinet, which smelled musty. Qin Feng looked around the room. The wall opposite was covered with certificates of merit. "Where will you sleep?"

"The room on the east side."

There was a thick stack of books on the desk, which was old and covered with newspapers. This must have been Lin Fan's childhood home. Qin Feng, who had always lived in comfort, couldn't imagine how she had managed.

Lin Fan laid out the quilt. "It's a bit damp; you'll have to make do."

"Okay."

Lin Fan finished making the bed and walked to another room. "The bathroom is outside the main gate."

There was an old wooden frame on the wall with old photos, including one of Lin Fan as a baby and another of her in elementary school. Her appearance hadn’t changed much. The only group photo was of Lin Fan and her grandmother. Hearing footsteps behind her, Qin Feng turned around to see Lin Fan entering. "There's a well outside for washing up. I'll get you some water."

"I'll do it."

Lin Fan was already running out with a washbasin.

By the time they finished everything, it was 11:30 PM. Lin Fan lay on her bed, staring at the dark ceiling, her mind in a whirl, and eventually fell asleep.

"Lin Fan?"

She groaned, opened her eyes, and quickly shut them again.

"Lin Fan?"

She opened them again, rubbing her face hard. Her father stood before her, looking as he did before he died, half his face missing and bloody. "Because of you, I lost my life!"

Lin Fan kept backing away. She realized she wasn't in the old house but a strange place filled with people walking with their heads down. She quickly stood up and backed away.

"Dad—"

"That old witch took my life because of you! Because of you!" His face suddenly changed, blood streaming from his eyes as he lunged at her. "Because of you, I can't reincarnate! Because of you, I'm doomed to wander here forever! It's all your fault! You curse!"

"Qin Feng!" Lin Fan struggled desperately, unable to breathe as her father's decaying face came closer. She could smell the stench of his corpse. She managed to squeeze out, "It's not me! It's not me! I didn't know—Qin Feng! Qin Feng, save me!"

"Lin Fan?"

Lin Fan jerked awake and gradually saw Qin Feng's features in the backlight. She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his neck, gasping for breath. Why had she dreamt of her father? Why was he asking for her life? Since his death, Lin Fan had never seen his spirit.

He had already reincarnated, so why was he still here?

Qin Feng wiped Lin Fan's face. "A nightmare?"

Lin Fan choked out, "I dreamt of my father."

Qin Feng sat by the bed, holding Lin Fan. She was dressed lightly, her warm body pressed against Qin Feng. Her not fully developed chest rested against him. Qin Feng stroked her hair. "It's okay now."

Her long, soft, curly hair spread out.

Lin Fan clung to his clothes, her emotions gradually calming. It was just a dream. The dream had been too real, leaving her shaken. She pulled away from Qin Feng's embrace and wiped her face. "Sorry for disturbing you."

The bed in this room was bigger. Qin Feng indicated, "Sleep inside."

Lin Fan moved over, and Qin Feng climbed onto the bed. "I won't touch you. Just sleep."

Lin Fan's face turned red. She pulled the pillow over and lay down. Qin Feng sat outside, turning on his phone.

"What time is it?"

"Two-thirty." Qin Feng put down his phone and lay beside her, resting his head on his arm, turning to look at Lin Fan. "Do you think you'll find answers here?"

"I don't know."

"What if you can't find them?"

"Then maybe I won't die. Ouyang Yu is just talking nonsense."

Qin Feng's dark eyes narrowed. After a long silence, he said, "Did you notice a strange smell in the house?"

"What?"

Qin Feng turned to stare at Lin Fan. "Isn't your nose very sharp?"

His dark eyes were deep, unfathomable. Lin Fan shook her head. "I didn't smell anything."

Qin Feng closed his eyes. "Sleep now."

Lin Fan was still young. Even though they slept together, he wouldn't have improper thoughts about her.

The next morning, when Lin Fan woke up, Qin Feng was already gone. She dazedly got up and went outside. The sun was shining brightly. Today should be a good day for drying the quilts. At the door, she saw Qin Feng talking with the neighbor's grandfather.

"Grandpa, you came over?"

Dahuang ran over first, and Lin Fan petted the dog's head.

"Came to call you for breakfast. You awake?"

Lin Fan scratched her head. "Sorry to trouble you, Grandpa."

She hurried back to wash her face. Qin Feng observed the surrounding terrain. "No more farming?"

"No, it's hard to farm on the mountain," the old man said. "Last night, I thought the lass was talking to someone, but I didn't see anyone."

Qin Feng: "…"

Now, besides being old, he was also considered dark-skinned!

Damn!

After washing her face, Lin Fan walked out and followed the old man with Qin Feng. Dahuang led the way, wagging his tail like a big goose.

"Grandpa."

"Yes?"

"Do you know Shiliang Village?"

"Yes, why?"

"Did I ever visit Shiliang Village when I was little?"

The old man stopped, turning to study Lin Fan. "You don't remember?"

Lin Fan was puzzled. "What?"

"Your grandmother was from Shiliang Village."

Lin Fan was shocked. She had no memory of this. During her grandmother's funeral, most of the guests were her father's friends. She was too busy crying to notice anything.

"What?"

"You silly girl, you don't even remember your grandmother's family." The old man sighed, seemingly unhappy. "Your grandmother almost lost her life for you."

"I have a bad memory."

"How can you have a bad memory at your age?" The old man said, "If your grandmother knew, she'd be so sad."

Lin Fan didn't dare to speak anymore. The old man grumbled all the way.

Their local dialect was a bit different from Mandarin but not incomprehensible.

The old man's house was already set with breakfast when they arrived. The old lady was surprised to see Qin Feng. "A guest?"

"A friend of the lass. He drove her back."

"Oh, then sit down quickly."

White porridge with pickles. The stools were too small for Qin Feng, making him feel cramped. He accepted a bun from the old lady. "Thank you."

The old couple had already eaten and sat nearby, talking about Lin Fan's past and asking about her life in the city. Lin Fan juggled eating and chatting.

After breakfast, Lin Fan signaled to Qin Feng that she wanted to speak privately with the old man. Qin Feng stood up. "I need to check if the car is locked."

"In this area, nothing would be stolen even if it wasn't locked."

Qin Feng left. Lin Fan helped the old lady clean up, washed her hands, and sat in the yard. She asked, "Grandma, how did my mother die?"

"Childbirth."

Lin Fan bit her lip. "Is that true?"

The old lady paused in her bean shelling, looking at Lin Fan for a long time. She sighed, "You know? Your grandmother never allowed anyone to talk about it while she was alive."

So her mother hadn't died naturally.

"Grandma, please tell me. I'm the only one left in the family. Grandma, I know I don't have long to live. Please tell me."

The old lady continued shelling beans in silence for a long time. Finally, she spoke, "You were born without a heartbeat. I was the one who delivered you. I'd never seen such a child." She said, "Since you know, I won't hide it. Your mother died trying to save you. She found some remedy, saying it could extend your life, but it cost her own."

Lin Fan felt a chill run through her body. She clenched her fists. "How did I survive after that?"

"I don't know the details," the old lady said. "You were brought back to the village when you were a year old."

Lin Fan's mind went blank. Ouyang Yu had been right—Lin Fan's life was someone else's. She was about to say something when her phone rang. Lin Fan answered in a daze.

"There's been another heart-extraction case in Jiangcheng. Meet me at the village entrance; we need to leave immediately."