Chapter 231

“It’s no trouble. Just take good care of yourself.” Song Nianchu was worried about Mu Haoxuan and didn’t stay any longer. She left with Mu Shi’an.

Mu Deyi followed them out as well.

The three of them searched the village thoroughly, but they couldn’t find Mu Haoxuan anywhere. Song Nianchu then sent Mu Shi’an and Mu Deyi to search the back mountain and the seaside separately.

She went to question the children who usually played with Mu Haoxuan, hoping they might know something.

She wouldn’t have known if she hadn’t asked, but once she did, she actually managed to uncover a clue.

It came from the younger son of one of the villagers, a boy about the same age as Mu Haoxuan.

The boy had developed a high fever after coming home from work that day. At first, Song Nianchu didn’t pay much attention. She assumed the child had caught a cold after getting chilled. But just as she was about to leave, the child’s grandmother suddenly rushed out, claiming that the boy had been possessed and needed to be exorcised.

Song Nianchu stopped in her tracks. The child’s parents seemed to realize that she was there and immediately scolded the grandmother.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Gou’er just caught a chill. I’ll take him to the hospital in a little while.”

“What do you mean, caught a chill? Gou’er just woke up and said he saw a dead person…”

“What dead person? He must be delirious from the fever.” The boy’s mother immediately ran toward the room.

Song Nianchu’s eyes flickered. As though she had thought of something, she didn’t leave. Instead, she followed them into the room.

The room was dim. A four- or five-year-old boy lay on the bed, his face deathly pale as he clung tightly to his mother.

“Mommy, save me… There’s a ghost… The ghost wants to get me…”

“Gou’er, don’t be afraid. Mommy is right here. No evil spirit would dare come near you.” The boy’s mother comforted him over and over.

“This ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍is clearly possession! I’m going to find someone to deal with it.” As the boy’s grandmother spoke, she ran outside.

The child’s parents seemed frightened by his condition and no longer stopped her.

Song Nianchu looked at the boy. After hesitating for a moment, she suddenly thought of something and stepped forward to ask tentatively, “Gou’er, did you see Haoxuan’s second sister?”

The moment Gou’er heard this, he became even more agitated and shrank desperately into his mother’s arms.

“Mommy, save me! There’s a ghost! There’s a ghost!”

“Gou’er, don’t be afraid. What you saw wasn’t a ghost. Haoxuan’s second sister isn’t dead.” Seeing his reaction, Song Nianchu knew that she had guessed correctly.

“Wh… what?” Gou’er froze and stared at Song Nianchu in confusion.

“Haoxuan’s second sister isn’t a ghost. She’s alive and well. Besides, you saw her during the day, didn’t you? Have you ever seen a ghost come out in broad daylight?” Song Nianchu tried to coax the truth out of him, so she could only focus on things he could accept.

Gou’er stared at Song Nianchu for a long while before finally nodding.

“Y-yes… It was daytime…”

Seeing that the child was able to speak normally again, his parents didn’t interrupt. They simply watched him nervously.

“Gou’er, tell me what happened,” Song Nianchu said gently.

“Gou’er, tell Sister A-Chu everything,” his mother added.

Gou’er’s eyes reddened, and he finally burst into tears.

“I didn’t do it on purpose! My stomach felt a little uncomfortable during the day, so I went to the latrine while we were working. But when I came out, I suddenly ran into Haoxuan’s second sister…”

“Everyone in the village says she’s already dead. I thought I’d seen a ghost. I was so scared.”

“What did she do to you?” Now that Song Nianchu was certain Gou’er had really seen Mu Jingmei, she hurriedly questioned him.

“She… she grabbed me by the neck and told me to take Haoxuan to the back mountain. She said that if I didn’t, she would take me away with her…”

“I don’t want to die! I… I didn’t do it on purpose. I thought she was Haoxuan’s second sister, so she probably wouldn’t hurt him…”

The child must have been terrified. His words became increasingly incoherent, and he kept apologizing.

“All right, don’t be afraid. Haoxuan’s second sister isn’t dead, so you didn’t see a ghost. Besides telling you to take Haoxuan to the back mountain, did she say anything else?” Song Nianchu tried her best to keep her voice gentle.

“N-no… nothing else…” Gou’er shook his head frantically.

Seeing that she wouldn’t be able to get anything more out of him, Song Nianchu didn’t press the child. She merely reminded his parents to comfort him properly and make sure he didn’t become traumatized.

Then she went to find Mu Shi’an and Mu Deyi.

By the time she returned to the Mu family’s house, Mu Shi’an and Mu Deyi had just come back as well.

“How did it go?”

“Did you find anything?”

Mu Shi’an and Mu Deyi spoke at the same time.

The two of them froze, then looked disappointed, their eyes filled with worry.

“Mu Jingmei must have taken Haoxuan,” Song Nianchu said.

“Are you sure?” Mu Deyi immediately turned to her.

Song Nianchu nodded and told them about Gou’er.

Mu Deyi was so furious that both his hands curled into fists.

“That ungrateful daughter!”

“At least we don’t have to worry about the child being in an accident,” Song Nianchu said, trying to reassure him.

“Did the boy say anything else?” Mu Deyi pressed.

“No.” Song Nianchu shook her head. “I think she must have taken Haoxuan for a reason, and there’s more to come. Let’s wait here calmly. She’ll come back to us.”

“I’ll be waiting!” Mu Deyi ground his teeth in rage.

Mu Shi’an’s expression was grim as well.

That night, Mu Shi’an stayed with Mu Deyi and Mother Mu at their house, waiting for Mu Jingmei. Song Nianchu stayed home to look after Mu Yongnian.

Mu Yongnian blamed himself for not keeping a proper eye on Mu Haoxuan. He was consumed by guilt and cried until midnight, when exhaustion finally carried him to sleep.

Looking at Mu Yongnian curled up into a tiny ball, Song Nianchu sighed.

Mu Jingmei truly had no conscience at all. She had actually gone so far as to target her own little brother.

Song Nianchu got up, intending to take a shower. But just after stepping out of the room, she suddenly heard a faint rustling sound outside the courtyard.

Her expression tightened. She picked up a stick and quietly made her way outside.

The person outside was also creeping in carefully. They came face-to-face in an instant, and both of them froze.

Because the person standing outside the courtyard was none other than Mu Jingmei.

“How did you get here?” Song Nianchu’s expression darkened immediately.

“Song Nianchu, you’re really something now.” Mu Jingmei stood in the middle of the courtyard, where she could clearly see the two certificates of merit hanging in the main room behind Song Nianchu.

“I could never compare to you. Where did you take Haoxuan?” Song Nianchu stared at her without blinking.

“You want that brat? Fine. Give me ten thousand yuan, and I’ll tell you where he is.” A mocking smile appeared at the corners of Mu Jingmei’s mouth.

“Haoxuan is your own younger brother!” Song Nianchu gritted her teeth.