Chapter 31: Ghosts are Born from the Heart
Taoist Master Mao was taken away, and he was so embarrassed that he could no longer look like a Taoist priest. Of course, he had to face more than just embarrassment, because Director Chang had already made an explanation. It would be strange if he could feel good after defrauding someone in the leader's house. The leader didn't need to arrange anything for him, and someone would naturally help him deal with it until the leader was satisfied.
After sending off Taoist Master Mao, Director Chang turned around and immediately became amiable, "Mr. Tan, right? I didn't expect Xiaobo to have a friend like you. This time, it's really thanks to you. Please take a seat. Yulian, go and pour Mr. Tan a cup of tea."
As expected of a leader, this change in attitude was very natural. However, Tan Xuan did not act flattered. He just waved his hand politely and said, "No need to be so polite. I just happened to meet you and it's just a small favor for me to point it out."
"Hey, Mr. Tan, there's no need to be modest. That damn liar almost made me lose money and face. This is not a piece of cake for me. Please take a seat, Xiaobo, too."
Tan Xuan didn't bother to be polite and just sat down. He had been here for quite some time, so it was fine if he didn't give him water, but now he gave him a seat, so Tan Xuan didn't bother to be polite with him.
After some simple pleasantries, Director Chang got straight to the point and asked, "I just heard from Yu Lian that Mr. Tan is also good at catching ghosts?"
Tan Xuan smiled slightly, thinking that Director Chang had learned a lesson from his failures, and replied softly, "I can't say I'm good at it, I just know a little bit."
"Haha, Mr. Tan is so humble." Director Chang flattered, but the smile on his face looked a little perfunctory.
Seeing that the atmosphere was a little off, Qian Bo quickly spoke up, "Tan Zi, you don't have to be like this. Director Chang is not an outsider. Besides, Aunt Feng and Ye Ma have been together for many years. You should show it to Grandpa Chang."
Turning his head, Qian Bo said to Director Chang: "Director Chang, don't be sad that Tan Zi is young, but he is really capable. I took a week off a few days ago, do you remember? In fact, I was not sick that time, I was almost killed by some ghosts. Fortunately, Tan Zi took action, otherwise you would not have seen me."
"Did you also encounter a ghost?" Director Chang sat up straight and asked anxiously. He knew his subordinate well and knew that Qian Bo would not dare to tell him those untrue words.
Qian Bo patted his thigh and explained with a big grin: "Director Chang, you don't know, I not only encountered a ghost, but also saw it with my own eyes."
Director Chang was shocked again, "Did you see a ghost with your own eyes?"
"Three."
Qian Bo stretched out his finger and gestured, then said with a look of grief and indignation: "Each one is more cruel than the other. I was almost strangled to death. Fortunately, Tan Zi was by my side."
"Mr. Tan is so powerful?"
When someone sets off the atmosphere, the effect is different. When Director Chang looked at Tan Xuan again, his eyes changed again, and his face was full of joy that could not be concealed.
"Of course it's amazing." Aunt Feng had already brewed some tea and brought it over. She continued, "I heard from Xiaobo that Xiaotan went to the old machinery factory to exorcise ghosts last night."
"Is there such a thing?" Director Chang gave Tan Xuan a thumbs up, "Mr. Tan is the real demon slayer."
Tan Xuan took the tea, thanked Aunt Feng first, then explained to Director Chang with a smile: "Director Chang, you are joking. Don't talk about exorcism. I am not at that level. Last night, it was just Brother Qian's sister-in-law and a few friends who went out to fool around. As a result, a hanged ghost appeared in the abandoned machinery factory staff building. The hanged ghost wanted to harm people, but I beat him up directly."
Since he was being questioned, Tan Xuan also needed to briefly talk about his abilities.
"Disbanded..." Director Chang and his wife were so shocked that they couldn't close their mouths. Although they couldn't understand to what extent they were "disbanded", after seeing Tan Xuan's relaxed description, they felt that the person in front of them should be much more reliable than the Taoist priest who was taken away just now.
Aunt Feng couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Tan, what about my grandfather's matter..."
Aunt Feng was interrupted by Director Chang before she finished her words. Director Chang frowned and said with dissatisfaction: "Mr. Tan came here for this matter. He just sat down and didn't even have a sip of tea. Why are you so anxious?"
Tan Xuan smiled slightly and waved his hand, "Director Chang, there is no need to do this. Brother Qian asked me to come here just for the old man? Let's go see the old man first."
Director Chang did not hesitate to stand up and put his hands together and said to Tan Xuan: "Then I will have to trouble you, Mr. Tan. If you can really subdue the evil spirit, I will reward you handsomely."
Tan Xuan waved his hand, "It's not important. I came here for Brother Qian's sake. Before I look at it, let me make it clear. If there really is an evil ghost, I will definitely take action. But if it's not because of that, then I'm sorry I can't do anything."
What does it mean to be rewarded handsomely? Thinking about the treatment that Taoist Mao had received just now, Tan Xuan was very disgusted with this kind of promise, so he made it clear in advance to avoid making everyone unhappy later.
"We know this. Thank you, Mr. Tan."
Director Chang respectfully invited Tan Xuan to the door of the old man's bedroom.
The bedroom door was still half open at this time, and the bedroom was still in the same state as when Master Mao came out. Now that the day was coming to an end, the nanny was unwilling to come and clean up the room.
Tan Xuan pushed the door and walked into the bedroom. The bedroom was a mess, all the mess left by Master Mao's tricks. There were a lot of paper talismans on the walls, windows, and even the bedside. The room was stuffy. In the middle of summer, without opening the windows or turning on the air conditioner, it was really uncomfortable.
Tan Xuan stood at the head of the bed and looked over. The skinny old man Chang was lying on the bed with his eyes closed and his mouth open, soundly asleep. He seemed to be completely unaffected by the farce just now. Only his eyelids occasionally twitched, and it was obvious that he was not sleeping soundly, or was dreaming. The old man's cheeks were too red, and it was obvious that he had been ill for some time.
Tan Xuan walked around the bedroom, looking very carefully, even checking every corner. However, he didn't find anything else. He did tear off a lot of paper talismans and then slowly walked back to the door.
As soon as Tan Xuan left, Qian Bo, who was standing at the door and didn't dare to enter the house, asked anxiously: "How is it? Did you find out anything?"
Director Chang and his wife also looked at Tan Xuan nervously. They were also anxious to know the result.
Tan Xuan waved his hand, closed the door, and led the three people to the living room. After sitting back on the sofa, he said to them, "There is nothing wrong with this bedroom. I didn't find any filthy things. Don't worry."
"No ghosts?" Director Chang did not show much joy when he heard this reply. Instead, he frowned slightly and said, "What about the other rooms? Mr. Tan, please take a look."
Tan Xuan waved his hand, "No need to look. Just now when that Taoist priest Mao was playing his tricks, I took a rough look at your house. Your house is square in shape, and the decoration is exquisite, with a combination of light and dark, and it conforms to the principles of Feng Shui everywhere. It is obvious that it was specially arranged by a master. Moreover, the aura of wealth and prosperity lingers in your house, and ordinary filthy things avoid it. How dare they commit crimes in your house?"
"But the old man often complains at night that there are ghosts in the house and that ghosts are coming to catch him. What's going on? Did the old man get into trouble with some bad people outside?" Director Chang asked suspiciously.
What Xuan said was absolutely correct. Director Chang had someone specially look at the two houses opposite. Not only were the layouts detailed, but even the materials were selected completely in accordance with the requirements of that expert. He also hired a magician to perform a ritual, which cost a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.
Tan Xuan shook his head. "No, I didn't sense any evil spirits in the old man's bedroom. I can be sure of that. I don't dare to overestimate my other abilities, but I am very confident in judging yin and yang by looking at the qi. I'm going to say something you don't like to hear. I didn't find any evil spirits or resentment in the old man, but I did find that he was lifeless. The old man is old, so you'd better take him to the hospital for a thorough check-up."
Director Chang was not annoyed by Tan Xuan's blunt words. He just leaned back and sighed helplessly, "Alas! The old man's body has been checked, and the doctor also said that his organs are aging and all functions are declining. Alas! Birth, aging, illness and death, this is the law of nature, no one can do anything about it."
"He always said he saw a ghost. When the nanny told me at first, we didn't take it seriously, thinking he was just having a nightmare or having hysteria. But he kept saying he saw a ghost, and he described it with so much detail, describing the ghost's appearance and clothes clearly. He didn't seem confused at all. Twice when I was at home, he said the ghost was performing in the house, dodging back and forth, saying he was afraid of being touched, as if it was real. It made me panic. But every time I asked him if he knew the ghost, he kept silent."
Talking about family matters, Director Chang's face was full of worry. He kept changing his sitting position. At this time, he completely lost his leadership style.
Aunt Feng continued, "The hospital is helpless , so we can only take him home. But he is drowsy at home, sleeping day after day, and when he wakes up, he says ghosts are coming. Several nannies at home have been scared away. Now I have finally kept this one, and I don’t know how long he can work. Lao Chang and I have been upset about the old man for a while, otherwise we wouldn’t have attracted that fake Taoist priest and almost got cheated. Xiao Tan, you are Xiao Bo’s friend, and Aunt Feng won’t be polite with you. Tell Aunt Feng the truth, is there a ghost here?"
Seeing that one of them was pretending to be pitiful while the other was playing the emotional card, Tan Xuan knew that he had to give some definite answers, especially since Qian Bo kept hinting at him.
"Tanzi, please take a good look..."
"This..." Tan Xuan struggled for a long time, and finally said in embarrassment: "Aunt Feng, you are Brother Qian's elder, and Director Chang is Brother Qian's leader. Brother Qian found me, and I can't refuse. If you insist on asking me if there is a ghost, then I can only say that there is indeed a ghost."
"Is there really a ghost?" Mr. and Mrs. Chang immediately became nervous when they heard there was a ghost.
Tan Xuan waved his hand, "Listen to me, I said there is a ghost, not this house."
Tan Xuan pointed to his heart and said, "The devil is in the heart. The devil is in the old man's heart."
