Records of the Halls of Ten Thousand Affairs: Chapter 11: The Invisible Friend (Part 3)

Records of the Halls of Ten Thousand Affairs: Chapter 11: The Invisible Friend (Part 3)

As expected, nearly all the parents involved refused Zhao Lan’s invitation. They were guarded, as though afraid of any renewed connection to the old school. Only one boy’s parents agreed to her request but the reply said the child couldn’t come the father would speak with her alone.

The next day, Zhao Lan arranged to meet that father at a café. Chen Jiu did not show herself at the table but sat nearby to listen in.

The man sat down without pleasantries and went straight to the point: “Xiao Fei’s mom, you must have asked me here to find out whether my son has been acting strangely, right?”

Zhao Lan nodded, but with Chen Jiu as her safety net, she was far less anxious than before. She asked unhurriedly, “Would you like something to drink?”

“No, thank you.” The man declined. Noticing how relaxed she seemed, he asked with some puzzlement, “Is Xiao Fei doing all right lately?”

“Quite well,” Zhao Lan answered, following Chen Jiu’s instructions. “Sleeping soundly, eating heartily.”

The man was visibly taken aback for a moment. He had heard something about Lin Xiao Fei’s condition, but the picture in front of him suggested things were perhaps not as serious as what was going around in their social circles.

“He does have the occasional nightmare,” Zhao Lan added. “And sometimes he’ll whisper ‘sorry’ to thin air. But otherwise he seems perfectly normal so I invited you here to ask whether your son Sun Yang has been the same way. An elder told me that this isn’t really a mental health issue…” She lowered her voice slightly and adopted an air of mystery. “It means he’s come into contact with something unclean.”

The man’s expression gradually darkened. Clearly, Sun Yang’s situation was far more severe than Lin Xiao Fei’s they had simply kept it tightly under wraps, and had even had the foresight to quietly transfer their son to a new school, which was why it hadn’t spread.

Chen Jiu took a sip of her coffee and, using a small mirror, discreetly studied the man’s face. A shallow dark cloud hung across his features a sign that a family member or child had misfortune approaching.

“At our age, there are things you can’t help but believe in.” The man exhaled, rubbed his temples wearily, and finally began to speak the truth. “Since you see it the same way, I’ll be honest. Our Sun Yang seems to have been latched onto by something. We’ve tried injections, medicine, charm water, red clay nothing has worked. Every day… every day he can’t sleep for more than three minutes. The moment he closes his eyes, before long he… It must be Jiang Hao. He won’t let my son go. I have to go and plead with him.”

Zhao Lan’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly. She had downplayed Lin Xiao Fei’s condition in her own telling, yet she hadn’t imagined Sun Yang’s state had deteriorated to this extent. If the punishment had gradations of severity, then Sun Yang must have done something far worse though that was a thought she could only keep to herself.

“So, what do you think about picking a day and bringing the children together to pay their respects at Jiang Hao’s grave just to set our minds at ease?” Zhao Lan said after a moment’s thought. “The trouble is, Jiang Hao’s parents don’t want to see us.”

“As long as we are sincere,” the man said.

Zhao Lan slowly nodded. “I suppose that’s all we can do.”

Though inwardly, she had no confidence in it either. Those two had lost their son what good would an apology do? It wasn’t as though they could give him back his life.

The man looked troubled and asked, “Xiao Fei’s mom, may I ask which master did you go to? I’ve visited every Taoist shrine and Buddhist temple in the Qiu area. None of it helped.”

“Oh, I was just about to bring that up.” Zhao Lan rummaged through her bag and produced a business card for Wanshi Zhai, which she handed to the man. “It’s a small, little-known shop but don’t let the owner’s young age fool you. She has real ability. The reason my Xiao Fei can sleep peacefully is entirely thanks to this master.”

A trace of hope finally crossed the man’s face. He nodded repeatedly and murmured over the card, “Chen Jiu… Master Chen. Good, good I understand.”

“If you can get in touch with the other families, please try to persuade them as well,” Zhao Lan said, with genuine empathy. “We’re all doing this for our children.”

“I will,” the man said. “I’ll do my best.”

The two exchanged a few more courtesies before the man, out of gratitude, insisted on picking up the bill.

Once he had gone, Chen Jiu rose from the neighboring table and strolled over. “Jiang Hao’s death was probably not a simple drowning.”

Zhao Lan’s expression turned heavy. She hesitated. “My Xiao Fei is extremely timid, Master you can see that yourself. He couldn’t possibly do something terrible, let alone anything that would cost someone their life…”

“Right,” said Chen Jiu. “Which is why his symptoms aren’t as severe. Sun Yang, on the other hand, is already nearly out of time.”

Zhao Lan covered her mouth. At that moment, Chen Jiu’s phone rang an unknown number.

Here we go.

Chen Jiu turned to Zhao Lan. “Leave this to me. Take Xiao Fei out somewhere, let him enjoy himself. He’s already given us enough to work with.”

…….Wanshi Zhai Reception Area……

Chen Jiu slid a cup of tea across to the man. With Zhao Lan’s groundwork already laid, he had extended a basic measure of trust to her, and so despite finding himself facing a young woman, he showed no condescension his manner was respectful.

“Thank you, Master,” the man said stiffly. “My name is Sun Bo. I’ve come today because of my…”

“Has your child recently been afflicted by a foul aura?” Chen Jiu asked directly.

Sun Bo jolted upright. “Yes! Exactly!”

Chen Jiu made a show of pressing her fingers together in divination. “Plagued by nightmares, unable to sleep?”

Sun Bo looked ready to leap out of his seat. Forcing down his agitation, he said in a trembling voice, “Yes! That’s incredible! Master, you’re truly extraordinary!”

Chen Jiu gave a faint smile. “It is connected to water.”

Sun Bo had no reason to think of Zhao Lan. At those words, he looked as though he might drop to his knees, wringing his hands. “Yes! yes it is! Master, is there a remedy? I’ll pay anything. Please, save my son’s life.”

“Let me see him,” Chen Jiu said.

“Please, follow me!” Sun Bo said urgently. “The boy is in the car!”

The street was rather narrow; it took several minutes to reach where the car was parked. Sun Bo opened the door, and Chen Jiu leaned in to look. Sun Yang had already reached the point where he could not be left alone. He was haggard, bone-thin, with deep shadows under both eyes he looked as though he had only days left.

Sun Bo’s eyes reddened. “These past few days he can’t eat, can’t drink. He barely has the strength to call out.”

Chen Jiu nodded, gently took Sun Yang’s hand, and checked his pulse. The boy’s heart pulse had not withered to the point of no return he could still be saved.

“How is my son?” Sun Bo asked.

“Carry him to my shop. Keep him out of the wind.” Chen Jiu turned and headed back to prepare.

“Understood!” Sun Bo pulled a large blanket from the trunk and wrapped his son snugly inside. Sun Yang had almost nothing left on his bones, so he was easy to carry. Sun Bo strode quickly to keep pace with Chen Jiu.

By the time the sun sank below the horizon, Chen Jiu had finished a full set of acupuncture and signaled Sun Bo to give the boy some water.

Sun Bo’s brow had been knotted so tightly it could have crushed a fly but when he saw his son actually manage to drink a little, he let out a long, slow breath.

Master Chen truly is capable.

“He will be lucid for a few minutes. During that time I have questions for him. Do not interfere,” Chen Jiu said.

Sun Bo was in no position to refuse. He simply nodded over and over.

A moment later, Sun Yang stirred, opening his eyes weakly. He moved his lips and found that sound came out and more than that, his body felt light. A calming incense filled the air, and the awful sensation of being dragged downward was gone.

“Dad…” His first instinct was to find his father. “Dad?”

“Right here. Dad’s right here.” Sun Bo drew close, speaking carefully. “Son, Dad found a way to help you. You have to cooperate do you understand? Listen to the Master. She can save your life.”

Sun Yang slowly moved his eyes and found an unfamiliar face a woman with a rather striking, spirited appearance.

“Sun Yang,” Chen Jiu said, her expression neutral. “You must answer my questions as truthfully as you can. Only by telling the truth can you preserve your own life. Do you understand?”

Sun Yang said nothing. He shifted his gaze and fixed it on the black cat dozing on the stair railing perfectly still, not a twitch, its pupils narrowing to meet his eyes as if in response. At first glance, it might have been mistaken for an ornament on the banister.

“Son, don’t be afraid Dad is right here,” Sun Bo said quickly. “Tell the Master what you told Dad before. Understand?”

Sun Yang still didn’t reply.

Seeing this, Chen Jiu was certain: even after everything that had happened, Sun Yang had not told his own father the full truth.

What kind of secret was so terrible that he would hide it even from his own father?

“What were you doing when Jiang Hao fell into the water?” Chen Jiu asked.

Sun Yang closed his eyes. “I was trying to save him.”

“What happened after that?”

“He pulled me in. I almost drowned too. We all tried our best we just couldn’t save him.” He got halfway through the words before his fingers began twitching uncontrollably. He sucked in several sharp breaths, his voice cracking. “Is that our fault? He was the one who came on his own doesn’t that make him responsible too? Is it all our fault? We tried to save him. He just wasn’t strong enough. He had bad luck…”

His voice climbed higher and higher, and by the end he was gasping, unable to catch his breath.

Sun Bo couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He rushed over and wrapped his arms around his son, calling out loudly, “Enough! Enough! No more questions please! I’m sorry, Master Chen please stop. No more.”

Chen Jiu watched Sun Yang in silence. She could not let him die here. She drew out a soul-settling talisman, held two fingers aloft, and the paper drifted through the air and settled gently on the boy’s forehead.

The boy froze then the ferocity drained from his face, and he grew calm again.

Sun Bo stared in stunned disbelief, then dipped his head gratefully toward Chen Jiu.

Chen Jiu shook her head with a quiet sigh and produced her price list.

With his father there to shield him, Sun Yang knew he would not die easily. He clung stubbornly to his secret guarding it even at death’s door, unwilling to let a single word escape.