Chapter 5: The Old Ghost

«Squeak…»

This was Jiang Wenxin's fourth sudden brake today; Watching Dou Dou, sitting in the passenger seat, slammed headfirst into the glove compartment, and her seatbelt did absolutely nothing.

She wriggled her short legs, pulled her little head out of the glove compartment, and said dumbly: «Mom, I'm still fine—I'm really strong. »

Looking at her daughter's adorable face, Jiang Wenxin's eyes grew slightly damp.

The first time she braked, she'd been terrified—but after Watching Dou Dou comforted her, she realized: Watching Dou Dou wasn't alive; hitting the center console had no effect on her.

She braked suddenly because someone had suddenly rushed out from the roadside—her reflex demanded an emergency stop.

The first time, she hadn't realized the figure wasn't human; she'd wanted to argue with it—but then she remembered Watching Dou Dou, and decided not to waste time on such trivial matters.

But she hadn't expected the figure to notice her gaze—it simply shoved half its body through the windshield, sending a cold sweat over Jiang Wenxin, who then realized: this thing, like Watching Dou Dou, wasn't human.

Fortunately, Watching Dou Dou, fierce and tiny, immediately growled at the figure.

«This is my mom's car. You're not getting in. »

The figure was startled by her tiny demeanor, then seemed to grow angry—it glared at Watching Dou Dou, who flinched and shrank back involuntarily.

Seeing this, Jiang Wenxin no longer felt fear; anger flared up instantly, and she roared at the figure: «Get out. »

The ghost, as if terrified, scrambled out of the car in panic.

Jiang Wenxin didn't know that in the instant she shouted, three flames shot up from her body, burning a full chi high—this was what had scared the ghost away.

After several such incidents, she realized: as long as she didn't make eye contact with them, these ghosts would ignore her entirely.

So after her latest sudden brake, once she recovered, she immediately shifted her gaze to the passenger seat.

Sure enough, the ghost that had crossed the road glanced at her car once, then turned and walked away.

«The fuck, how are you driving…»

At that moment, a car behind her overtook, rolled down its window, and began yelling at her.

But when it saw Jiang Wenxin's face, the voice automatically softened a little.

«Sorry, sorry…»

Jiang Wenxin knew she was at fault and quickly apologized, then restarted the car.

«Mom, he was yelling at you, » Watching Dou Dou said, sounding angry.

«Yelling is wrong, but it's my fault—I shouldn't have braked suddenly; it risks causing an accident, » Jiang Wenxin patiently explained.

«Then why did you brake suddenly? » Watching Dou Dou asked, confused.

«Because I was afraid of hitting someone, » Jiang Wenxin said.

She no longer knew who was human and who was a ghost, so she had to brake—otherwise, if she got it wrong and actually hit someone, it would be disastrous.

For the rest of the drive, Jiang Wenxin proceeded with extreme caution, finally arriving at her residential complex, stopping the car, and exhaling deeply.

She unfastened her seatbelt and instinctively glanced at the passenger seat—only to find Watching Dou Dou had already gotten out and was waiting for her by the roadside.

She hurried out, wanting to warn her not to wander off—but the words died on her lips.

She reached out her hand: «Come on, let's go home. »

«Mm~»

Watching Dou Dou happily placed her small hand in her mother's palm.

Then she bounced and skipped along beside her mother toward home.

Watching Watching Dou Dou leap and skip, Jiang Wenxin felt momentarily dazed—as if Watching Dou Dou had never left.

If only she could keep Watching Dou Dou by her side forever, Jiang Wenxin thought.

No—Watching Dou Dou had always been here; she just couldn't see or touch her before.

As long as she could see and touch her like this, Watching Dou Dou would still be her Watching Dou Dou.

Thinking this, she arrived unconsciously at the elevator.

Throughout the journey, Watching Dou Dou had mostly pulled her along—the little one knew their home well.

These two years of «alone» life—no one to hold, no one to pull…

She had cried, she had felt wronged—but in the end, she had to learn everything herself…

But the moment the elevator doors opened, Jiang Wenxin was startled again.

Because inside stood an old man leaning on a cane.

His face was covered in thumb-sized growths, appearing extremely repulsive.

Due to the growths, his eyes were squeezed into slits, emitting a chilling glow.

He first glanced at Jiang Wenxin, then his gaze fell on their clasped hands.

«You can see ghosts? »

The old man's voice was hoarse, giving an unpleasant sensation.

He then asked again: «Why can you suddenly see us now? »

«Grandpa Lu. »

Watching Dou Dou spoke respectfully, clearly knowing the man.

Jiang Wenxin hid Watching Dou Dou behind her; as the elevator doors were about to close, she showed no intention of entering—the old man stepped out leaning on his cane.

Seeing this, Jiang Wenxin pulled Watching Dou Dou back a few steps, watching him warily; he looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't recall where she'd seen him.

«Miss Dou Dou's mother, I mean no harm—I'm just curious: how did you suddenly gain the ability to see us? » the old man asked curiously.

His gaze, however, fixed on Jiang Wenxin's shoulder.

Jiang Wenxin said nothing—but Watching Dou Dou quietly poked her little head out from behind her mother.

At that moment, several more people arrived to wait for the elevator; Jiang Wenxin breathed a sigh of relief.

The other elevator arrived; Jiang Wenxin quickly joined the crowd and stepped inside.

The old man did not follow—he merely squinted, smiling at Jiang Wenxin, but his face full of growths made the smile grotesque; only when the doors closed and his view was blocked did Jiang Wenxin finally exhale—though her heart remained unsettled.

She looked down at the little cutie hugging her leg and hiding behind her, reaching out to gently stroke her small head.

Opening the door, Jiang Wenxin instinctively glanced behind her; seeing the old man had not followed, she hurriedly pulled her daughter into the house.

As soon as Watching Dou Dou entered the house, she began searching everywhere, then asked with some confusion, "Hasn't Dad come back yet?"

"Your father has something to do tonight and will be back a little later."

"Oh~"

Hearing this, Watching Dou Dou felt somewhat disappointed; she had thought she would see Dad as soon as she returned.

At this moment, Jiang Wenxin asked with some impatience, "Dou Dou, do you know that old grandpa just now?"

Watching Dou Dou nodded, then said with some confusion, "He is Zixu's grandpa; Mom, don't you know him?"

"Zixu?" Jiang Wenxin suddenly realized.

The Zixu Watching Dou Dou mentioned was a little boy living upstairs in their building; his full name was Lu Zixu. He was two years older than Watching Dou Dou, and because they lived in the same residential compound, they often played together.

Lu Zixu had always been raised by his grandparents, but his grandpa passed away very early, a year before the accident that befell Watching Dou Dou.

However, in her memory, Lu Zixu's grandpa was an old man with kind features; every time they met, he would cheerfully greet her on his own initiative, absolutely not looking like the ferocious figure of today.

"But I remember he wasn't like this."

"Grandpa Lu said he was sick," Watching Dou Dou said.

Watching Dou Dou was too naive; she believed whatever others said. This statement was clearly a lie; he was already dead and had become a ghost, so what sickness could he have? Ghost sickness?

It seemed this matter was not so simple. Thinking of this, before she fully entered the door, she looked out through the peephole.

Then, she was so startled that she retreated repeatedly, almost sitting down on the ground with a thud.