Chapter 246 - A Former Classmate (2/2)
“Well, do you remember Huang Li who was with us when we just started university?” Edelweiss and I traded a look. I would not have remembered anyone else. But Huang Li was a name that I would never forget. “The one who was using spirits that I caught? Your first friend at university?” Lu Shengnan nodded although she quickly sighed. “She came looking for me two days ago, asking me for your contact.”
My forehead wrinkled in thought. Why and how did Huang Li find Lu Shengnan to locate me? “Have you been in contact with her?” I asked and Lu Shengnan shook her head. “Nope. In fact, we have lost contact ever since she’d left university. I told you then, remember? She even changed her number. I have no idea how did she find me. And it was not through the phone. She came to me at my place.”
“Your place?” I uttered. Lu Shengnan nodded her affirmation. “Well, after our graduation, I have taken up a teaching position at an agency until last year, I asked my dad for some money and I started my own tuition center. It’s not big, but it keeps me busy.” Lu Shengnan paused to grind her cigarette in an ashtray and she went on, “Then two days ago, out of nowhere, Huang Li appeared before me. She looks so different now that I could barely recognize her!”
“Get to the point!” I stressed impatiently and a block-headed Lu Shengnan said, “All right! I was just about to get to that!” “Okay, okay. Go on.” I nodded and smiled bitterly.
“I did not recognize her, but she knew who I was at first glance!” Of course, I almost blurted aloud, Anyone would have recognized you from miles away! Not wishing to interrupt her, I waited for her to go on. Lu Shengnan was a garrulous talker to an Olympic degree; she would never rest until she had made sure we got every word out of her.
She went on talking about her first encounter with Huang Li in many years. Lu Shengnan asked about what Huang Li had been doing and the latter revealed that she had been working at her family’s company while deftly evading the rest. Everything about her had changed, according to Lu Shengnan. The look she gave Lu Shengnan when their eyes met, the type of clothing she was dressed in; Huang Li was a completely different person having undergone some unknown life-changing experience. But Lu Shengnan knew better than to pry. Despite being formerly friends as close as sisters, there was no denying that they had gone distant due to the many years of not keeping in touch.
“So, Huang Li was telling me that her house is haunted! With her home now uninhabitable and no other friends to ask for help from, she could think of only me. She came to me, asking if she could stay in for a few days. That reminded me of you! This is a job for you!” Lu Shengnan paused for a breath. “But Huang Li chickened out when she heard your name. She’s still raw from that incident, see? Obviously, she’s still embarrassed over what happened then and till now, so she refuses to see you. Apparently, her father had enlisted the help of many priests and mediums, but none of them seem to be of any use. She’s staying at my place now; her husband has gone somewhere else to stay too. I hear it’s one of his colleagues in the military. So here I am to ask for your help!”
“Wait, you said ‘colleague in the military’? So that means she really got hitched to that army officer Cao?” Lu Shengnan slapped her thigh and said, “Yeah! Unbelievable, is it? But they’re not really married yet. They’re just living together for now.” I nodded. So they’re almost the same as Edelweiss and me, I thought quietly.
Just then, I felt Edelweiss’ hold on my arms seem to tighten spontaneously. I turned and found her looking at me. We shared a quick look and I immediately realized that she was worried about my wound. Giving her an encouraging smile, I said to Lu Shengnan, “Well, you’ll have no problems with me. I’m all in.” “How are the charges?” Lu Shengnan squeaked excitedly, but I was a little awkward at that, saying, “Well, truth be told, we haven’t received many jobs yet since our opening. So I’m afraid I have yet to fix a price on our services. How’s this? I’m giving you a special rate, for old time’s sake. I’m charging less than a thousand yuan, as long as the job is nowhere near dangerous.”
Lu Shengnan frowned and said, “Come on, that’s not right, Shiyan! I know that you’re a nice guy and you’re giving me a good rate out of friendship, but this is business! You’re undercharging me!”
At first, I was stunned, failing to understand what she was saying. Then I understood: she was being serious in saying that I was undercharging her. She must have thought I was too abashed to charge a former classmate the usual rates. But it was understandable. Charlatans and swindlers oftentimes charged at least a five-figure sum for exorcisms or other cases of similar nature.