False evidence

Chapter 9 Horrifying Takeout

"A ghost fetus?"

Li Ping and Meng Chao looked at each other in bewilderment.

Meng Chao said, "Twenty-one, you know the most about these superstitious things. Tell me, is it really possible for a woman to be possessed by a ghost and get pregnant with a ghost's child?"

I said, "Saying there are ghosts is nonsense. Actually, in the old days, when an unmarried girl got pregnant, her family would say she was possessed by an evil spirit or was carrying a ghost child in order to cover up their shame. They would say they would find someone to perform a ritual to expel the ghost child, but that was just to shut others up. The truth was that they would find someone to abort the pregnancy."

I've seen this kind of thing quite often back in the countryside. In our village, there was a sorceress named Ding who specialized in these kinds of things.

I remember once, Granny Ding rushed to my house in a panic, saying that a girl from a neighboring village had suffered a hemorrhage and that my grandfather should hurry to save her.

After that incident, I learned that Ding, the sorceress, was originally a midwife. Later, when people in the countryside went to hospitals in the city to give birth, she lost her income and started using the name of a sorceress. What she did most often was to "abort ghost fetuses" for people.

After I finished speaking, Li Ping's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

The three of us walked along the small street to the middle, and Liping led us into a private clinic.

A man in a white coat was sitting behind a table, looking down at his phone. On the table was a bucket of instant noodles that was bubbling away.

"Monkey!" Li Ping shouted.

The man looked up, surprised. "Brother Ping, what brings you here?"

Li Ping introduced him to us, saying that this man's name was Zhao Wenqiang, his college classmate, and that he now worked at his family's clinic. Li Ping's aunt's house was near the clinic.

Zhao Wenqiang has a fair complexion and looks quite respectable in a white coat, but he has a pair of rather exaggerated, protruding ears. From the back, his ears are particularly noticeable, making him look like a big, hairy monkey, hence his nickname "Monkey".

The monkey refused to eat instant noodles and insisted on dragging us to a restaurant.

Li Ping stopped him and said, "Don't rush to eat. I have a question for you. Did you perform an abortion for someone?"

The monkey was taken aback, then frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? This is a legitimate clinic, licensed and legitimate. Would I do that kind of thing?"

Li Ping was straightforward and told him what he had seen at the intersection.

After hearing this, the monkey slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Hey, you've all misunderstood!"

After listening to his explanation, I learned that his grandmother was indeed somewhat superstitious and quite well-known in the area. A couple of days ago, a neighbor's daughter did indeed have an abortion, but she went to the city hospital. The woman's elderly relatives were superstitious and said it was a terrible sin, so they sought out the old woman to perform a ritual for the unborn child.

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, and since it was lunchtime, we couldn't refuse, so we went with Monkey to a restaurant at the street corner for a meal.

When the monkey, who was usually so lively, heard that I wanted to move here, his expression suddenly became unpredictable.

Li Ping asked half-jokingly, "I asked you to help watch the house, you didn't do anything bad in that house, did you?"

The monkey stared at him for a moment, then surprisingly nodded and said, "I'll tell you the truth, I really did do something 'bad' in that house once. But... I have to tell you, my grandma and I both felt that the house wasn't very clean."

"How exactly is it unclean?" Li Ping looked at me, clearly embarrassed.

The monkey said seriously, "Back in the spring, didn't I tell you that I broke up with my girlfriend? Then one time I couldn't resist and ordered takeout. You know, my house is big and cramped, so it's inconvenient. Since there's a place available, I couldn't just leave it unused. Let me clarify, I didn't mean to make a mess of your house, I just wanted a quick meal. But, after that woman came that day, something really strange and scary happened..."

For a monkey to openly discuss such a private matter is quite frank.

However, after he finished telling the whole story, not only Li Ping, but also Meng Chao and I frowned.

According to the monkey, it was dusk that day, and because it was cloudy, the air felt stifling. He thought of his ex-girlfriend, and while he felt down, his body reacted in the opposite way.

This area is right next to the "Pink Lantern Dog Skin Plaster" area, with a "superior" geographical location, so he didn't compromise and directly contacted a "takeout" company via WeChat.

The monkey's family had run clinics for two generations, so he dared not act recklessly at home. Fortunately, he had the key to Aunt Liping's house, so he sent the "deliveryman" there directly.

The woman was alright looking, just a little thin.

According to the monkey, he wasn't a picky eater, so after opening the door, he only glanced at the woman before pulling her inside and taking her directly to the backyard.

Just as the two were about to get straight to the point, Monkey suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

It was already summer then, and the weather gets hot early in the south, so you don't feel cold even if you're shirtless and wearing only shorts. But back then, he felt as if there was a block of ice pressed against his back, freezing his spine so much that he felt no warmth at all.

The woman didn't feel the cold, but she sensed something was wrong. She had initially turned her back to the monkey, but noticing something was amiss, she said, "Handsome, first time, right? Need my help?" As she spoke, she turned around. Shortly after she turned around, both she and the monkey simultaneously let out a piercing scream…

The monkey said that although it happened in the yard, the lights were on inside the house. By the light, he saw the woman turn around. At first, she was smiling at him, but as she smiled, her expression changed.

At first, powder flakes were falling down in a flurry. The monkey thought to himself, "This woman's makeup is terrible. She's not worth the agreed price with such cheap cosmetics."

However, after the powder fell off, the woman's face not only lost its color, but also gradually turned from pale to a ghastly green. Moreover, as her complexion darkened, something else actually fell off her face.

The monkey could see it clearly: one of the woman's eyeballs had actually popped out of its socket!
Upon seeing this horrifying scene, the monkey could no longer contain itself and let out a loud "Awooo!"

The woman also screamed, as if she had seen something extremely terrifying. Without even having time to straighten her clothes, she ran out the door and fled.

……

Hearing the monkey's words, Li Ping could no longer contain himself and slammed his chopsticks on the table. "Enough! Stop talking nonsense! We've almost finished eating. Give me the key later!"

The monkey cried out urgently, "Brother Ping, listen to me..."

Li Ping waved his hand to interrupt him: "That's enough. You'd better watch yourself in the future!"

After returning to the clinic and getting the keys, Li Ping refused to let the monkey follow them any further.

Once outside the clinic, Meng Chao couldn't help but grumble again, "People like that are really not worth associating with. Let's not talk about their moral character; there's always a buyer and a seller in the world, and that's perfectly acceptable. Looking after someone else's house without pay, occasionally borrowing the house isn't a big deal. But the house ultimately belongs to someone else. Borrowing it for a while is fine, but if the owner wants it back, you can't just forcibly occupy it, can you? I might be exaggerating with 'occupy,' but to make up such a lie... is this... is this trying to scare us like three-year-olds?"

I didn't respond to him, but I also felt in my heart that this monkey was really not very decent.

Actually, I think Liping told him a lot at the beginning. To be honest, I came here to stay for free because I had nowhere else to go. If Liping had come to stay on his own, Monkey probably wouldn't have made up so many excuses.

Just because I was living there for free and 'occupied' his pleasure quarters, he made up lies to scare people. Ultimately, his aim was to cultivate a relationship with Li Ping while hoping to continue guarding the property for him.

Li Ping led us to the end of the small street, where we saw a two-story house with its own courtyard. I began to understand why the monkey was unwilling to hand over the key.

Although the building is old, it's clear that the original owner took great care of it, both inside and out. Even the clump of cacti on the backyard wall is still growing so lushly, with traces of faded flowers still visible.

Seeing that Liping was in a bad mood, I didn't say much. I just said that there was no lack of furniture, water and electricity, and it was even better than the dormitory.

I've always believed that the murder case in Elephant Trunk Lane will be solved soon, and I'll be able to return to a normal life soon.

So, when I came, I only brought a bag of changes of clothes and daily necessities.

Li Ping had a similar idea to me. When I said I was satisfied, he told me not to argue with the school leaders and to just stay here for the night.

He and Meng Chao are true brothers. The talk about me getting rich was just a joke. They knew I was in a bad situation and had already withdrawn cash. They not only forced the money on me, but also used the excuse of drinking at noon to leave the Jetta for me.

Although the house is old, it is by no means as bad as Li Ping initially described.

I'm not stupid. Just a quick glance told me that this older brother was deliberately trying to help me. Otherwise, renting out these two floors to the 'tech workers' on the street would bring in a lot of money every month.

It's not being pretentious to argue with the school; it's simply letting them handle it.

There's no need to be sentimental with these two brothers. Just like I said, remember the good people have done for you, and repay them many times over when you have the chance.

I really didn't plan to stay long, so I only bought a straw mat that fit the bed temporarily.

After Li Ping and Meng Chao left by car, I had just finished tidying up when someone knocked on the door.

When the door opened, a monkey appeared.

From my perspective, I shouldn't be prejudiced against him. He seemed to realize that he had created a less than good impression on Li Ping and me during lunch.

His expression was very serious, and tinged with grievance. He seemed to have hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "I'm a quick-tongued person, and I easily offend people. But... but... never mind, you wouldn't believe me anyway!"

I was about to speak when he suddenly grabbed my shoulder. "Sanqi, right? You have to believe me, this house is really a bit eerie!"

I felt very uncomfortable and shrugged on one shoulder. "Brother Monkey, I'm a worthless person. Even if there were ghosts around, they probably wouldn't like me."

The monkey suddenly raised its voice: "Listen to me! I don't believe in ghosts either! But I do believe in superstitions! At noon you only heard half of what I said! Do you know what happened after that?"

(End of this chapter)