To call it a haunting would not be entirely accurate.
The Li family had risen to prominence rather late, clinging to Wenda Group and riding its coattails to become a second-tier enterprise in A City. While the real powerhouse feasted on meat, the Li family merely drank the soup.
Back when they first made their fortune, the entire extended family had worked together. After becoming wealthy, they built an enormous villa and all moved in. Later, as their interests became increasingly entangled, very few ever moved out.
And so, despite having prospered for barely more than a decade, they already styled themselves as elite aristocrats of A City, looking down on others with ill-concealed disdain.
Fragments of the original host’s memories still lingered in Zuo Zhu’s mind. She recalled how, during her ambiguous relationship with Li Fang, she had yearned for the impeccably packaged image of the Li family and had schemed desperately to become a rich matron.
Back then, Li Fang’s relatives had met the original host and treated her with undisguised contempt.
The reason this might not truly be a haunting was that the Li family was simply too large. Everyone believed that since the family enterprise had grown to its current scale, they deserved a larger share of the stocks and profits.
They had originally been nothing more than ruffians. Wealth had come, but their character had not improved. The entire household was rife with chaos and corruption.
Just consider President Li, the current head of the family and Li Fang’s father. Outside, he kept numerous mistresses and had more illegitimate children than one could count. With such an example at the top, how much better could the rest possibly be?
So when news spread that the Li family was haunted, most people assumed it was simply internal sabotage.
Lin Tianming had initially thought the same. Though he had just returned from the ghost village, he did not believe ghosts were so rampant that he would encounter them at every turn.
However, when he went to handle matters related to Li Fang and visited the Li residence, the sight of Li Fang’s father in his current condition sent chills down his spine.
“President Li’s body is covered in festering sores. He has visited hospitals both at home and abroad, yet no one can treat him. Everyone says he has contracted some incurable disease from his promiscuity.” Lin Tianming paused. “But I saw him myself. The pus on his body, its color and texture, was identical to what we saw on the ghosts in the ghost village.”
If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he too would have assumed a man like President Li had contracted some unspeakable illness.
But after witnessing it, he was convinced there was a high probability of supernatural involvement.
“Besides that, I’ve heard the women in the Li family experience strange incidents every night. For example, the wife of Third Uncle Li tries to hang herself from the rafters at night, while Second Uncle’s wife wakes in the middle of the night and attempts to strangle her husband. In short, the entire household is in chaos. They’ve invited many so-called famous masters, but none have been of any use.”
Lin Tianming glanced at Huo Fu, hesitating.
“What are you trying to say?” Huo Fu asked.
“I’m wondering whether what’s happening to the Li family has something to do with Li Fang going to the ghost village.”
This was Lin Tianming’s greatest concern. Li Fang had died in the ghost village, and shortly afterward, the entire Li family began experiencing misfortune.
Had something followed them back from the ghost village? Or could that village influence people thousands of miles away?
If that were the case, would his own family be next?
That was why, even though it did not directly involve him, Lin Tianming had hurried here.
He looked at Huo Fu anxiously.
“In that case,” Huo Fu said as he stood, “take me there to have a look.”
“Alright!” Lin Tianming rose excitedly. The very reason he had involved himself so eagerly was to bring Huo Fu to the Li residence and determine whether their troubles were connected to the ghost village.
Now that Huo Fu had agreed, he promptly ushered everyone into the car and drove toward the Li estate.
Upon arrival, the sprawling villa came into view, exuding the ostentatious air of newly rich extravagance.
As they stepped out of the car, another group of oddly dressed individuals emerged from the villa, shaking their heads and sighing.
Lin Tianming explained, “Probably another batch of masters the Li family invited. Since they couldn’t resolve the issue, they’re leaving. It’s strange, though. When the haunting first began, no one in the Li family agreed to invite any masters. That’s why outsiders suspected internal sabotage. But once things worsened, they began frantically summoning one group after another.”
Huo Fu’s lips curved in a mocking smile.
Lin Tianming stepped forward to speak with the guard at the gate and explained their purpose.
Zuo Zhu tugged at Huo Fu’s sleeve and whispered, “When will you earn enough to buy a house this big?”
He snorted. “Have some ambition.”
She pouted, recalling the immense wealth Huo Fu’s parents had once possessed before their deaths, and silently acknowledged her own lack of perspective.
Soon, Lin Tianming finished speaking with the guard, and they were allowed inside, proceeding directly to the villa’s entrance.
Second Uncle Li had just sent off another group and, upon hearing that the familiar young man from the Lin family had arrived with yet another master, forced himself to receive them.
However, when he saw that the so-called master was Huo Fu, his expression darkened.
“My dear nephew,” he said tactfully, “the Li family’s situation is rather complicated at the moment. If you’re merely curious, there’s no need to involve yourselves.”
His words were polite, but the meaning was clear. He did not take a young man like Huo Fu seriously and assumed Lin Tianming and his friends were simply causing trouble.
“Uncle Li, Brother Huo truly is a capable master,” Lin Tianming insisted. “He was the one who helped us leave the ghost village.”
Although the Li family knew some truth about Li Fang’s death in the ghost village, Lin Tianming had only described Huo Fu as someone who happened to pass by and rescue them.
Second Uncle Li hesitated, then scrutinized Huo Fu more closely. Seeing no trace of guilt in his calm expression, he suppressed his doubts for the moment.
“Very well. Follow me.”
He led them to President Li’s room on the third floor. The moment they entered, a foul stench filled the air.
Liu Minmin immediately covered her nose.
Zuo Zhu also clutched Huo Fu’s sleeve and covered her nose.
Second Uncle Li gazed sorrowfully at his elder brother, who lay unconscious in bed. “Tianming must have told you about our situation. My elder brother has been ill for quite some time. Though we’ve invited masters to examine him, I still believe he is merely sick. However, the rest of the Li family has indeed encountered some strange occurrences.”
Huo Fu did not respond. Instead, he walked forward as if he possessed no sense of smell and stopped by the bedside, staring at President Li’s body, which was covered in boils and pus.
Still holding onto his arm, Zuo Zhu was dragged closer. The stench intensified. Just as she was about to pull away, she realized she could no longer smell anything.
She glanced at Huo Fu, guessing he had done something.
No one else dared approach so closely. Even Second Uncle Li’s eyes betrayed a hint of disgust.
Only Zuo Zhu stood beside Huo Fu, and thus no one else noticed the excitement flickering in his gaze.
Staring at the half-man, half-ghost figure on the bed, he let out a low chuckle.
“So he hasn’t aged after all.”