Everyone gathered in the bicycle shed in front of the west factory building, unpacking their food and placing it on an overturned metal bucket. I bought two steamed buns and a bag of pickled mustard greens. As we ate, we chatted about how our children were doing in school, how much our wives were earning at work, and the mundane daily necessities of life. Our bosses, Master Yang and Master Sun, had already poured two large glasses of loose liquor and were drinking. For them, the only joy of the day was a little wine with their meals. "Why are you so listless today?" Master Yang asked me. 

"I didn't sleep well last night," I said. 

"What are you thinking about? Is it time to find a partner?" Master Zhang interrupted. 

I gave a wry smile. A partner is one of life's necessities, and I really want one, but who would want to be with me? A man as useless as me should probably stop being annoying. Everyone started giving me random advice. One wanted to introduce me to a virgin girl of thirty-six or seventeen; another wanted to introduce me to a widow in her twenties; still others urged me to go on a marriage search. I smiled at them all, thinking they were just joking. 

Wei Shibo suddenly asked me seriously, "Zhang Yuan, how old are you this year?" 

"Thirty-five." 

"Thirty-five and still a virgin? That's incredible. People are old after thirty, and you're thirty-five, too. Is your thing still working?" 

Everyone laughed. I forced a smile. I'd been bored all morning, so I deserved a laugh. Just then, after chewing two steamed buns, I went to the sink to rinse my mouth. The boss's wife was scrubbing a large spoon in the sink. She'd cooked lunch in the small office kitchen. She's our manager, in charge of our section. Her husband (our boss) is in charge of the construction team. She's a very friendly person. 

I hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do you know who's in that portrait hanging in the office?" 

She was startled and looked at me. "Why are you asking?" she said. 

"Nothing. That person looks a lot like someone I know," I stammered. 

"I don't know. The portrait has been hanging there since the factory was bought." 

"Could it be the former factory director's wife? Or a mistress?" 

"No. The former factory director was a woman." 

This shattered my expectations. I'd imagined there was a poignant story here. The former factory director's wife, mistress, or second wife were young and beautiful, but who knew that beauty was envied by heaven and she died young, leaving the former factory director with only this portrait. Who knows if the woman's spirit, her soul still alive, possessed the portrait from her lifetime? Hollywood and Hong Kong ghost movies are all made up like this, but who knew it was so different. No wonder; this is reality, not some shoddy, made-up movie. 

After work that evening, Xiaoguo came to catch up with me, and we went for a drink. He's from our boss's construction team and used to live at the factory, but now they're busy and have moved to the construction site. We've always had a good relationship. Sitting in the brightly lit snack bar, after a few beers, my thoughts began to wander. Watching the intimate interactions between the couple at the next table, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions. My life has been a complete blank so far, and there's no hope of adding color to it in the future. I don't know the meaning of living like this, nor do I know when I'll be able to live a better life. "What's wrong with you today? You look so downcast, like you've been possessed by a ghost, 

" Xiaoguo asked. On a whim, I stared at him and asked, "Do you believe in ghosts?" 

"You've asked the right person. I do believe in it. People in our area often encounter ghosts. When they do, we ask a deity to perform a ritual. It's just like how people in your country are often possessed by yellow-skinned people. But I've never seen what a ghost looks like." He glanced at me. "Why? Did you encounter one?" 

What could I say? Just that last night I saw the portrait we often see staring at me, and it scared me out of my wits? I shook my head. "No, I'm not that lucky." 

"If you do see one, please call me. My biggest regret in life is that I've never seen a ghost. I really want to see one, with all my heart. I also know a lot of tricks to exorcise evil spirits. No one in our group has more experience and knowledge in this area than I do. I've always wanted to find a chance to try it out. When the time comes, I'll definitely give you a taste of it." 

"Okay." 

Two weeks passed quickly. The weather kept getting hotter. The shed was stifling. We'd sweat after working for a while, big beads of sweat rolling down. We had to drink several pounds of water every day. After work, we had to fill a large washtub with water and wash everything inside and out, otherwise we'd be covered in grease and unable to sleep.