Chapter 17 (1/2)

How did this jade pendant just appear out of nowhere?!

Xiao Tangqiu jumped up in surprise; the jade pendant fell out of his trembling hand and onto the ground again, making a crisp clink as it hit the the hard surface.

A chill ran down his spine. He felt as if someone was watching his every move from behind. He whipped his head around, expecting to see something but all he was faced with was an empty, paint-cracked wall.

“What the fuck?! You’ve even got a jade pendant?!” Compared to Xiao Tangqiu, Tang Mianmian was much more optimistic, “It must be an important item related to the plot! Definitely one of those items that will trigger the plot!”

“Most likely I guess……….” Xiao Tangqiu paused for a moment before smiling helplessly, “We’ll look for clues regarding the jade pendant tomorrow. It’s already so late, let’s just rest for the night.”

Tang Mianmian answered with a yawn as he rubbed his tired eyes, “Yeah, I’m feeling sleepy too. Let’s go to sleep.”

There were exactly two beds in the room, one for each of them. Tang Mianmian was more cowardly, so he chose the innermost bed while Xiao Tangqiu was left with the bed by the side of the door.

The both of them took off their shoes and climbed into bed. Tang Mianmian watched as Xiao Tangqiu carefully arranged his shoes so the heel faced the bed and the toe faced outside. He couldn’t help but ask, “What are you doing?”

Xiao Tangqiu replied faintly, “I heard that if the toe of the shoe faces the bed , then ghosts will climb into your bed in the middle of the night.”

Tang Mianmian cussed, “Fuck, are you for real?!”

He was so frightened that he immediately rearranged his shoes at the foot of the bed, but then he heard Xiao Tangqiu chuckle, “…… Just kidding.”

Xiao Tangqiu waited for Tang Mianmian to let out a sigh of relief before teasing again, “This way, if a ghost climbs into bed later, it’ll be convenient for me to quickly run away.”

Tang Mianmian scowled, “……………..This explanation doesn’t make me feel any better ah!”

“Don’t think too much, just go to sleep.” Xiao Tangqiu lay down and closed his eyed, “Anyways, no matter what, tomorrow is the last day.”

Xiao Tangqiu’s felt uneasy with worry; he thought he would’ve been unable to fall asleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes, exhaustion overtook his body and he descended into a deep slumber.

It was a night of dreamless sleep.

The next morning, as soon as Xiao Tangqiu opened his eyes, he couldn’t believe that nothing had happened the entire night. Furthermore, his quality of sleep actually improved……….. It was completely illogical! This eerie place was one thing, but he had never slept this well even in his own home. Ever since the incident that happened seven years ago, he wasn’t able to get proper sleep. Every night, it would either be agonizing insomnia or horrible nightmares.

Although he slept better last night, his back was aching and his limbs were sore. Sleeping on the wooden bed was no different from sleeping on the floor. On top of that, the pillow was hard as stone. It was impossible to get a good night’s sleep. He wasn’t sure how he managed to sleep through the entire night – he must’ve been possessed!

Tang Mianmian, who had also gotten up, looked lifelessly at Xiao Tangqiu. His eyes were covered in dark eye circles. “It was so noisy last night. I kept on hearing the cries of a baby coming from right outside the window. I was so scared that I couldn’t sleep. The cries finally stopped in the later part of the night but then, I was half asleep when I felt like someone was stepping all over my back……….”

“Crying? I didn’t hear anything ah!” Xiao Tangqiu was stunned, “Wait a minute….. What’s that on your back?!”

“My back?!” Tang Mianmian flinched in fear and immediately turned around, trying to look at his own back but he couldn’t see anything at all. Watching Tang Mianmian spin round and round in place, just like a dog chasing its tail, Xiao Tangqiu raised his lips in amusement.

“It looks like there’s something on your neck. Stop moving, let me look at it,” Xiao Tangqiu walked over to Tang Mianmian and lifted up his shirt. The moment his eyes laid on Tang Mianmian’s back, Xiao Tangqiu couldn’t help but curse out loud.

Tang Mianmian’s back was covered in dark footprints the size of a baby’s. The footprints stretched from his neck all the way to his lower back; it was as if a baby had repeatedly walked up and down his back.

“Footprints, so many footprints………..”

Tang Mianmian felt the hairs on his body raise, “Fuck my life! Did that infant spirit really give me a back “massage” last night?!”

“Quickly check if there are any on my back!” Xiao Tangqiu quickly lifted up his shirt so Tang Mianmian could take a look.