The Three Pure Ones' Secret: Expressing Spirit

Back in my dorm, I sat on the edge of my bed, my mind racing with thoughts of making money and living a comfortable life. On one hand, I was determined to buy that camera as a birthday gift for Yin Yuhong; on the other hand, I had absolutely no idea where I was going to get the seven thousand yuan.

How about borrowing some money from people around me? But this is not a small amount. I only have 1,500 yuan for living expenses each month, and I get a few hundred yuan here and there every week. When I was younger, I thought it was only natural to spend my family's money, but as I've grown up, I feel more and more like a burden to my family. I really don't want to ask my family for another penny.

Should I borrow from Lao Fan? That guy drives a BMW, has his own business and income, he must have savings. But then I thought about it and immediately shook my head. This isn't a small matter of a few hundred or a thousand. Even if he were willing to lend it to me, how would I pay it back? I'm just a student, I simply don't have the ability to repay it, and I really can't afford to owe him this favor.

Should I ask my roommates for help? Forget it, they're struggling financially too, just like me, they wouldn't have any spare money to help me. I slumped over the table, racking my brains, but I couldn't come up with a quick way to raise the money. I felt anxious and helpless.

Just when I was at my wit's end, my phone suddenly rang. It was Peng Guoqiang calling! The old man's first words were to ask me for money. I was stunned. As if possessed, I tentatively spoke into the phone, "Uh, um, Uncle, what you said before about making money by performing with you, is that true?"

When Peng Guoqiang heard that I was interested in this matter, his tone immediately changed. He chuckled on the other end of the phone and said, "Oh? You're interested, little brother? I always keep my word. As long as you're willing, I can get you a business deal right away."

I never expected him to agree so readily, and I started to have doubts. Was this old guy trying to fool me? Besides, I knew in my heart that this was no legitimate performance; it was clearly a scam. Moreover, this wasn't something I could do alone. Did I have to drag my brothers along? And frankly, this was a fraudulent scheme.

I was incredibly conflicted, but I still managed to ask him, "Hey, Uncle, I can work with you, but I'm all alone. Where are we going to perform?"

Peng Guoqiang coughed twice on the other end of the phone and chuckled, "Heh, it's not like I'm performing on stage. It's just helping some rich people with guilty consciences out of their way. I saw you perform quite well on the school stage last time. You know the ins and outs of this business, don't you?"

His question startled me. I did know a little about Yin and Yang, but I was completely inept at actually conning people; I was only a dabbler. Somewhat shyly, I said into the phone, "I only know a little. I really want to make money. Didn't you say before that I could contact you if I wanted to make money?"

Peng Guoqiang didn't dwell on the matter. He first asked me for two hundred yuan, then told me to wait patiently for his news, which would be in a day or two, and that we would split the profits 50/50 after it was done.

After hanging up the phone, I was filled with doubt. Was this old guy going to take me to someone's house to perform a funeral act? Just thinking about that summer with Lao Fan, singing and dancing at a funeral, made me feel incredibly embarrassed. Fortunately, Peng Guoqiang's later words dispelled my worries; he wasn't talking about performing on stage at all, but rather playing a trick on someone.

I initially thought Peng Guoqiang was just bragging and didn't take it too seriously, but two days later, I received a call from him.

I remember it very clearly. It was raining heavily that day, and I had just gotten out of school. I was holding an umbrella, walking side by side with Yin Yuhong in the drizzle. She leaned against me naturally, not holding my hand, but just gently tugging at the sleeve of my coat. As I walked beside her, I could clearly smell her scent. It was the same faint gardenia fragrance I had when I first met her, a scent that was so pleasant and comforting.

The rain was heavy, and it got dark exceptionally early. I walked her all the way to the girls' dormitory. I wanted to return the umbrella to her, but she smiled sweetly at me and said softly, "Aren't you silly? If you return it, won't you get soaked on your way back? You can give it back to me tomorrow! I'm going up now, see you later!"

After saying that, she turned and walked upstairs. After taking a couple of steps, she turned back and said to me, "Get some rest early, don't go online again tonight!"

I chuckled awkwardly, wondering how this girl knew about Li Quan and Li Peng, and why she'd invited me to the internet cafe that night. I scratched my head and sheepishly replied, "No, don't worry!"

Watching her figure slowly disappear at the stairwell, I turned and went back to my dorm. I put Yin Yuhong's umbrella on the balcony to dry, and when I turned around, I saw Li Quan and Li Peng still fast asleep in bed. Those two had completely given up; they hadn't been to class for two days. I was about to wake them up when my phone suddenly rang.

Afraid of waking them, I tiptoed out of the dormitory and went to the balcony in the corridor to answer the phone. Peng Guoqiang's voice came through the receiver, accompanied by a few dry coughs: "Hehe, have you eaten yet, little brother?"

I told him I had just gotten out of school and hadn't eaten yet. Just as I was about to ask if he'd found some acting work, he preemptively said, "That's a great coincidence! I just closed a deal, the price's all set, I'll get ten thousand yuan if I do a good performance. When are you free? I'll pick you up from school!"

I was completely stunned. Ten thousand yuan? That was a huge sum of money I'd never seen before. But then I thought about him picking me up from school—was I supposed to ride in his beat-up tricycle and help him pedal from behind? I knew I was overthinking things again, so I quickly snapped back to reality and said to him, "Tomorrow's Friday, and Saturday morning is free. What kind of performance are we going to do?"

Peng Guoqiang's tone became mysterious, and he chuckled on the other end of the phone: "Hehe, don't rush, let's meet and discuss it in detail when you're on vacation. After it's done, we'll split the money fifty-fifty..."

I've never seen so much money in my life. I was so focused on raising enough to buy a camera that I blurted out without thinking, "Uh, Uncle! Could I take more money than I need later?"

I felt abrupt even as I said it, but at the time I was completely focused on Yin Yuhong's birthday present and didn't think much of it. Peng Guoqiang was clearly surprised and asked, puzzled, "What's wrong, little brother? You seem more short of money than I am?"

I quickly explained to him, "Don't worry, I'll definitely make up for the extra portion later."

Peng Guoqiang didn't press further, but sighed and agreed, "Alright, but we need you to come over so we can discuss it in person before we can finalize it. We've only reached a preliminary agreement now, it's not completely settled yet."

I know I was too impatient just now. I took a deep breath and calmed down. I'll just wait until after class tomorrow to go find Peng Guoqiang and see what kind of "business" this old guy has found for me.

As the last class ended on Friday, the campus was bustling with noise as students walked out in groups. I went to a quiet corner and made a peaceful phone call home.

After the call connected, I naturally said, "Mom, I'm going out with my classmates this weekend, so I won't be coming home."

My mother didn't suspect anything, but repeatedly reminded me: "It's okay to play with your classmates outside, but you must pay attention to safety. Don't go to remote or chaotic places, don't stay up late at night, and avoid going to deserted suburbs. Take good care of yourself."

I felt a pang of guilt, but I replied, "I know, don't worry, I know what I'm doing." After a few quick pleasantries, I hung up the phone.

I then contacted Peng Guoqiang and asked him not to come to the school to pick me up, but to send me the address directly so I could take a bus there myself.

The next day, the sky was overcast. It had been raining for several days, and the sky was gray, cold, and damp. I boarded a bus heading to the outskirts of the city. There were few passengers on the bus, and the route became more and more remote. The tall buildings and bustling city gradually turned into a desolate and empty logistics warehouse area.

The rain drizzled outside the window, and the streetlights were dim and desolate. The guy was filled with mixed feelings. On one hand, he desperately wanted to make money so he could buy the camera for Yin Yuhong as soon as possible; on the other hand, he was extremely uneasy, wondering just how dangerous Peng Guoqiang's charlatan business was. He was lying to his parents and doing something unreliable and shady. Guilt, tension, anticipation, and hesitation intertwined. The closer he got to his destination, the faster his heart beat. He was afraid of going the wrong way, yet unwilling to give up.

The rain continued to drizzle after the bus arrived at the station. The surroundings were empty and desolate, filled with scrap metal and warehouses, damp and chilly. I walked to the warehouse according to the address. The ground was piled high with old tin boxes and cardboard, and rainwater dripped constantly from the eaves, tapping on the metal sheets with a pattering sound, creating a dim and oppressive atmosphere.

I checked the address and called out into the dark, dimly lit warehouse, "Is anyone home?"

Peng Guoqiang quickly responded and came out, dressed in old thermal underwear, his face covered in messy stubble, grinning to reveal a mouthful of yellowed teeth: "You're here pretty early, little brother!"

Peng Guoqiang stepped aside to make way for me, and I entered the warehouse, my footsteps crunching through the scraps of paper and dust. He casually pulled a relatively clean plastic chair from a pile of waste nearby, shoved it in front of me, and said gruffly, "Don't stand, sit down."

I felt a sense of panic and sat down awkwardly, my eyes unconsciously scanning my surroundings. The room was filled with piles of junk, cardboard boxes, scrap metal, and broken furniture crammed together. The musty and smoky smells in the air were even stronger, and in the dim light, I could barely see anything.

Peng Guoqiang plopped down on a small stool beside the pile of scrap metal. The stool looked shaky, but he sat firmly. He took out a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, put it in his mouth, and clicked the lighter. The flame leaped up, illuminating his stubble-covered face. He took a deep drag, then slowly exhaled a smoke ring, the smoke dissipating in the dim warehouse.

He squinted at me, his tone becoming more serious, and said bluntly, "Little brother, do you know how to perform ghost catching? But we're not really catching ghosts, and we don't have that real skill. We're just going through the motions and putting on an act."

After hearing Peng Guoqiang's explanation, my heart started pounding, and a hesitant look appeared on my face. I frowned and looked at him, saying uncertainly, "I should be fine, but if we just pretend like this, will people believe us?"

Upon hearing this, Peng Guoqiang waved his hand dismissively, a cigarette dangling from his lips, looking completely confident, as if to say I didn't need to worry at all. He exhaled a smoke ring and slowly told me, "Don't worry, you don't need to concern yourself with anything. Just stand there, act like a mysterious and unassuming expert, and I'll handle everything else, from communicating with the boss to taking care of things. I guarantee there won't be any mishaps."

After talking with him in detail, I finally understood the whole story. It turned out that Peng Guoqiang had already found a client, a construction boss surnamed Huang, who specialized in contracting construction projects. A few days ago, there was a safety accident at Boss Huang's construction site, which even resulted in a death. Ever since then, strange things have been happening to his family one after another, and he has no peace at night.

Mr. Huang was so tormented that he couldn't eat or sleep. He was convinced that the ghost was a worker who had died in an accident at the construction site and had turned into a vengeful spirit, haunting him. So he was in a hurry to find a master with real skills to perform a ritual at his home to exorcise the ghost, just so he could live a peaceful life.

Peng Guoqiang, that old fellow, has seen too many of these kinds of scenes while going from street to street swindling people. Although he talks about ghosts and gods in a mysterious and fantastical way, he knows perfectly well that he doesn't believe there are really ghosts in this world. He thinks it's all just the work of people's hearts.

He saw that Boss Huang was panicking and desperate for peace of mind, so he immediately asked Boss Huang for an exorbitant price, thinking he could make a fortune. He was prepared to bargain with the other party, but to his surprise, Boss Huang was so frightened that he agreed to the price he offered without thinking.

I pondered the conversation over and over again, my brows gradually unfurrowing, and my tense expression relaxed a bit. In the end, neither Peng Guoqiang nor I were truly knowledgeable; to put it bluntly, we were just going through the motions, pretending to be experts.

Then think about that Boss Huang. Most likely, someone died on the construction site, and he felt guilty and couldn't eat or sleep, so he spent a lot of money to have someone perform a ritual. To put it bluntly, he just spent money to buy peace of mind. He couldn't see through our trick at all.

Thinking of this, I looked up at Peng Guoqiang, my eyes no longer hesitant but filled with urgency. I said decisively, "Okay, it's settled then. Go tell that person quickly that we're fine and can go anytime, the sooner the better!"

Seeing that I had made up my mind, Peng Guoqiang put on a smug smile, patted his thigh and told me that there was no big problem. He told me to sit down and wait a moment while he called the boss surnamed Huang.

After saying that, he stubbed out his cigarette in a discarded metal box next to him, extinguished the embers, took out his phone, held it to his ear, turned around and took two steps toward a more open area of ​​the warehouse, deliberately putting on a calm demeanor, and dialed a number.

The warehouse was unusually quiet, with only the sound of raindrops dripping onto the metal sheets outside the window. He exchanged a few pleasantries with the person on the other end of the phone before getting down to business. They communicated intermittently for a few minutes, and the voice on the other end could be faintly heard; it was the urgent, flustered voice of a middle-aged man.

The boss, Mr. Huang, quickly said, "Can you come this afternoon? If so, Master Peng, please come this afternoon. I'll personally drive to pick you and your cousin up. Send me your address, and if you need anything prepared, I'll get it ready for you in advance!"

Upon hearing this, Peng Guoqiang immediately straightened his back, deliberately lowered his voice, and pretended to be profound and unfathomable. He spoke slowly and with a hint of certainty into the phone, saying in a deep voice, "Don't rush. Whether it's auspicious or inauspicious, we need to go there in person to make a decision. Let me and my cousin go there to observe before we make a decision."

After hanging up the phone, he immediately dropped his aloof demeanor, turned to me with a grin, and waved to reassure me that the matter was now completely settled.