[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-there-is-a-malevolent-spirit":3,"chapter-there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-3":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","There Is a Malevolent Spirit",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2263109,4416,"Chapter 3","there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-3",3,"\u003Cp>2. Do you want a wife or not?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t need to worry about that—she’s a living person, it’s just that for some reason, someone buried her together with Ah Chang,” Zhou Sanji said without looking up. “Besides, I checked her birth date and time—she’s perfect to pose as Zhong Kui’s sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, alright…” Sun Yanshun drew another breath, his brow still furrowed with lingering doubt. He glanced at Zhou Chang on the other side of the black cloth—since Ah Chang had been dug out of the coffin, he’d felt an eerie aura radiating from him, as if he’d undergone a complete transformation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since Ah Chang had originally been buried alone, yet after being exhumed, an unknown entity—human or ghost, no one knew—had appeared inside his thin coffin. Even though Zhou Sanji insisted it was a person, he didn’t believe it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could possibly survive buried underground, locked in an airtight coffin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the earth sealing Ah Chang’s grave and the coffin nails hadn’t been disturbed at all—this thing had simply appeared out of nowhere inside Ah Chang’s coffin!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, circumstances forced his hand: Li Xiamei could appear at any moment, so even though Zhou Sanji’s methods reeked of the occult, he had no choice but to rely on this shaman’s tricks and hope they could carve out a path to survival!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Yanshun fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Sanji circled back in front of Zhou Chang, staring at his pale face with a sly smile. “Do you want a wife, Ah Chang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at you—you’ve barely been dug out of a coffin, and already you’re getting a wife to take home! If any of those bachelors heard this, their eyes would turn red with envy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do you think of this match?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never mind, your opinion doesn’t matter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the saying goes: parents’ decree, matchmaker’s word. Your parents are long dead, and I, your grandfather, am your elder—I approve this marriage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since you’re becoming Zhong Kui’s brother-in-law, using your real name isn’t appropriate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let me give you a new name—you’ll be called…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zhou Sanji painted those ghostly, scribbled symbols across Zhou Chang’s chest and back, he gradually felt as if countless holes had opened all over his body—warm currents surged deep into his flesh, even nourishing his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His consciousness slipped through those “holes” into the outside world, finally able to breathe fresh air and interact with the world again, no longer trapped like a stifled corpse in a suffocating coffin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to control his muscles and bones, to stand up—but his body gave no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, these ghostly symbols had some effect: though they didn’t let him rise and move yet, he could now speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when he saw Zhou Sanji frowning in thought, he spoke up: “My name is Zhou Chang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou from the Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties. Chang meaning the bright sun and moon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s your birth date and time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chang swiftly converted the heavenly stems and earthly branches in his mind: “Wu Zi, Jia Yin, Wu Wu, Jia Yin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Zhou Sanji finally realize—he lifted his head, stared deeply at Zhou Chang, fell silent for a moment, then said in a low voice: “Fine. Then your name is Zhou Chang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, he turned and walked to the other side of the room, separated by the black cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chang watched the black cloth sway slightly, hearing Zhou Sanji speaking with a woman on the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Girl, did you hear everything we said out here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We need to escape. The only way is to make you pretend to marry my grandson. I’ll cover your face with this yellow paper—you’ll be Zhong Kui’s sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever I ask you something, just nod in agreement. Is that acceptable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-yes…” came a faint, timid female voice, speaking in Sichuan dialect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having secured the woman’s consent, Zhou Sanji turned back and fixed Zhou Chang with a stare. “When I ask you something later, you nod too. Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.” Zhou Chang replied with quiet interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d absorbed all these absurd, bizarre details—and his mind barely rippled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d always been like this: detached from everything, seen by others as utterly dull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhou Sanji handed out suona, wooden clappers, erhu, and other instruments to the group. Everyone sat in place, lips tightly sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Zhou Sanji stood a white banner in the center of the room and hid behind it—under the candlelight, only a faint, swaying silhouette remained on the stretched cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the room fell utterly silent, so quiet you could hear the candle flame crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chang stood among them like an outsider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at the white banner, treated like a shadow puppet screen, and as the silhouette behind it moved, someone immediately struck the wooden clappers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sharp percussion signaled to all present: a grand performance was about to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the clappers fell silent, Zhou Sanji’s hoarse recitation rose: “In marriage, ancient and modern, a matchmaker’s proof is required; sacred rites and moral law demand it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rough skirts, thorn hairpins—without a matchmaker, isn’t that just illicit coupling?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, the Zhong family’s daughter, ‘Zhong Li,’ has met the Zhou family’s son, ‘Zhou Chang.’ Though heaven and earth bear witness to their sincere hearts, without a matchmaker or proof, wouldn’t this loving pair suffer cruel torment, doomed to be tragic mandarin ducks?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the ominous recitation ended, several intermittent clapper strikes followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then erhu and sheng pipes wove together, until someone blew the suona—and the room was suddenly filled with festive joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the room remained icy cold, beneath the music, it felt as if spring had returned, flowers blooming in full glory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone handled their instruments with skill, perfectly in sync, like seasoned opera musicians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the silhouette on the white cloth shifted abruptly—a hunched, fawning matchmaker suddenly appeared on the screen, her artificially shrill voice piercing the air: “Ah! Let me be the matchmaker tying the red thread!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me be the Moon Old Man sealing the vow…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “matchmaker” bent low, tilting her head toward the black cloth partition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The screen had shown only a silhouette, but as she tilted her head toward the other side, two ink-drawn “eyes” slowly emerged on the cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those “eyes” fixed on the black cloth, as if seeing through it to the woman behind—though her voice didn’t change, the eyes made it sound chillingly sinister: “The Zhong family’s daughter, this Zhou family’s son comes from a pure lineage. Though orphaned young, he was raised by his grandfather, properly taught, upright in character, untouched by vice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhong family’s daughter, are you satisfied with this Zhou family’s son’s background?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The needle-thin voice pierced the black cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the cloth, the woman sat hunched on a tall stool, shoulders trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face was covered by a yellow paper; her black hair was coiled into a phoenix crown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a bright red wedding robe, cut to flatter her figure—though her face was hidden, she radiated elegance and splendor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the crimson bridal gown, sitting in this dilapidated room, looked like spilled blood, deepening the gloom and chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flickering candlelight cast chaotic, blurred shadows on the black cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the clamorous music, the matchmaker’s question grew clearer. Bai Xiue snapped back to reality and answered, trembling: “S-satisfied…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She always felt this scene had happened to her before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like earlier times, faceless figures had told her to just nod and agree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, the “matchmaker” had described the “Zhong family’s daughter’s” background to the man Bai Xiue didn’t know, and asked him the same question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue had heard the man reply calmly, “Satisfied.” She pressed her lips together, unmoved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The music outside grew louder; the room’s temperature dropped further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Xiue’s shoulders trembled. Strange yet familiar memories surfaced in her mind, carried by the clamor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She combed her hair before a mirror; in its misty surface, a beautiful, tender face emerged from the fog, gazing back at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s face smiled sweetly, slowly rising from the mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her nose touched Bai Xiue’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matchmaker’s voice came again: “The Zhou family’s son bears the single character ‘Chang.’ His birth date and time: Wu Zi, Jia Yin, Wu Wu, Jia Yin…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhong family’s daughter, and your parents and elders—do you deem this Zhou family’s son’s birth date compatible with yours?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold wind blew into the space behind the black cloth. Bai Xiue sat motionless on the stool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind shoved open the door; the lively music fell abruptly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone froze, staring at each other, too terrified to touch their instruments or turn to see what lay beyond the open door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrifying legends haunting them, the oppressive aura of Li Xiamei—now nearly tangible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the door swung open, Zhou Chang glanced outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond, the sky stretched like a dome, covering all four directions—nothing unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Chang turned to the white banner in the center. Behind it, Zhou Sanji’s eyes were closed, but the two “ink eyes” on his eyelids trembled slightly—black ink dripped from their pupils. Though his real eyes were shut, the ink eyes granted him blurred perception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the instant the door was blown open, he felt a “person” enter the room and step to the other side of the black cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>",1547,"2026-06-19T18:47:42.084Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9f4ba6582cfd30f668a2040266f0813b9f1fd536d4cb153dd270d85c12f40b0c","there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-4","there-is-a-malevolent-spirit-chapter-2",209,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthere-is-a-malevolent-spirit-cover.jpg"]