Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Zhao Yu’s Encounter

The room was about 15 square meters, containing a bed, a private bathroom, a nightstand, and an electrical outlet.

The only way in was the door; besides that, there was nothing but high walls.

That’s right, no windows. A small, round mirror hung from an iron nail on the wall near the toilet.

Zhao Yu felt like he’d just moved into a prison cell, but at this point, there was no turning back.

He placed his backpack on the yellowed nightstand, plugged in his phone to charge, and decided to find a small eatery.

But less than ten minutes later, the landlady came in carrying a fresh set of bedding. "I’ve taken the old sheets away," she said. "I know you young folks are particular, so I swapped them for new ones. You can rest easy now."

The landlady deftly helped Zhao Yu change the sheets and duvet cover. As she was leaving, he asked where he could find a small restaurant.

The landlady slapped her forehead. "Oh, how could I have forgotten! Don’t you worry about food—I’ll cook for you! Your room fee already includes meals!"

The landlady rushed off, leaving Zhao Yu standing there in a daze.

’So, a hundred for three days actually included meals?’

’Had he misunderstood the landlady? Had he misjudged the simple kindness of the people here?’

Zhao Yu felt a great sense of relief. His wariness vanished, and he no longer had to worry about being scammed.

Less than half an hour later, the landlady came up with a bowl of noodles and a side dish, setting them on the nightstand. "I kneaded the dough for these noodles myself," she said. "They have a great chew. The vegetables are homegrown, too. It’s eggplant with minced pork. Mix it all together and eat up. It’s really delicious."

As he ate the noodles after the landlady left, Zhao Yu found himself thinking this wasn’t half bad.

The noodles were just as good as any you’d find in a proper restaurant. The landlady seemed like a genuinely honest person, too. Organic vegetables like these weren’t cheap on the outside.

’Staying here for three days was certainly doable. But how was he going to report this to his director?’

Before he could figure it out, his eyelids grew heavy, and he couldn’t stop himself from drifting off to sleep. It was only when the landlady passed by later that the empty bowls were cleared away and the door was quietly shut.

When Zhao Yu woke up, it was already dark out. He took out his phone and switched on the room’s light.

He washed his face and stepped out. He found the landlady eating dinner, and as soon as she saw him, she pulled him over to join her, insisting that this meal was also included in the room fee.

Dinner was rice congee, homemade cold-tossed vegetables, and chive pockets.

It was all surprisingly delicious.

’Two meals a day for just a hundred... this room wasn’t expensive at all.’

"’Is this your first time here, son? Don’t be shy. If you’re not full, you just tell me. I’ll get you another bowl!’"

Zhao Yu declined the landlady’s offer and decided to go out for a walk.

"’There’s not much to see on this street,’ she said. ’If you want to look around, head south for about half an hour. There’s an Ancient Street. You might find something you like there.’"

Zhao Yu thanked the landlady and left the inn.

There weren’t many people out. The street seemed pretty quiet. ’Maybe everyone’s just busy with dinner at home,’ he thought.

But he hadn’t walked for long before he heard a familiar tune—the kind you could probably hear all across the country. Groups of "aunties" were dressed in matching outfits, moving in synchronized steps...

Zhao Yu couldn’t help but marvel at the universal appeal of square dancing. It truly was a force to be reckoned with!

The magic of the square dancers instantly made the once-deserted street feel much more familiar and welcoming to Zhao Yu.

As he passed Wen’s Psychological Clinic, Zhao Yu glanced through the window and saw Doctor Wen hunched over her desk, writing something.

He moved closer for a better look and realized something was off. ’She isn’t writing. She’s... drawing... paper money?’

Zhao Yu fell silent for a few seconds, debating whether or not he should greet her. "Little Zhao, why don’t you go in?"

Aunt Zhang happened to be passing by and saw Zhao Yu standing at the window, peering into the clinic. Aunt Zhang, it had to be said, was a real social butterfly. After just walking with him once, she was already calling him "Little Zhao" and had been on the verge of trying to set him up!

"Auntie, I saw Doctor Wen seems busy writing something. I didn’t want to disturb her."

Hearing this, Aunt Zhang grabbed Zhao Yu and pulled him away from the window, her expression tense. "You absolutely cannot disturb Little Ying right now," she whispered. "This work she does is incredibly draining!"

’Aunt Zhang knew Wen Ying must be casting a spell on that one-hundred-million-denomination banknote!’

’What if he interrupted her and all her hard work went to waste?’

’Doesn’t this sort of thing have to be done all in one go?’

"Are you off to square dance, Auntie? And Mr. Zhao, are you out for a stroll?"

Just as Aunt Zhang was about to give Zhao Yu another warning, they both heard Wen Ying’s voice. ’She stopped on her own?’

"’Mr. Zhao,’ Wen Ying added, ’you didn’t forget to bring a lighter with you, did you?’"

Zhao Yu patted his pocket. He had it.

Aunt Zhang said a few more words before someone called her over to dance, and she hurried off.

Zhao Yu stood before Wen Ying. Facing this young woman who wasn’t even as old as he was, he suddenly felt completely overwhelmed.

It was as if he were standing before a seasoned senior, a mysterious master.

"’If you’re going to the Ancient Street, you should go soon,’ she said. ’Most things close after nine. But the last bus leaves at eight, so you can still make it.’"

Wen Ying watched Zhao Yu leave. She figured she’d draw two more banknotes and then close up for the night.

At exactly 8:00 PM, the door, which had already been closed, was violently shoved open. Zhao Yu stumbled in, his entire body trembling. He collapsed onto the floor, his face a mask of panic, fear, confusion, and dread.

The moment he saw Wen Ying, he finally broke down and burst into tears. "Doctor Wen, I... I... I saw a ghost! What do I do? Am I going to die?!"

Zhao Yu remained on the floor, sobbing and rambling, his voice hoarse. He was clearly terrified.

He had a large, red, swollen bump on his forehead and scratches on his face.

He looked like a completely different person from the man who had left just a short while ago.

Wen Ying poured Zhao Yu a glass of water and helped him into a chair. "Here," she said, her voice gentle. "Drink some water first."

Zhao Yu downed the water in a single gulp, his eyes fixed on Wen Ying as if he were afraid to look away.

"’You didn’t light the lighter, did you?’ Wen Ying asked softly, even though she already knew the answer."

Zhao Yu shook his head. "I thought she was just a local girl, out all alone so late at night, so I decided to head back with her. But then the bus broke down... and I realized she wasn’t human... I couldn’t think about anything else! I was scared to death."

"’Don’t be afraid,’ Wen Ying said. ’She didn’t follow you here.’"

Only then did Zhao Yu seem to relax, though he still glanced nervously outside the clinic, his heart pounding. His legs were still shaking so badly that he clearly couldn’t stand.

"’When you came looking for me earlier today,’ she asked, ’did you happen to pick up a pair of shoes?’"

Zhao Yu looked at Wen Ying, confused. Then, as if remembering something, he nodded. "Right when I got off the bus... there was a stretch of dirt road and a few trees. I did see a pair of beautiful shoes. At the time, I thought—"