Siheyuan: Started in 1950, third-level cook

"Don't rush, let me explain."

Xu Damao didn't hide anything and explained his plan in detail.

"Wow, that's impressive! Xu Damao, when did your brain become so sharp?" Yan Jiecheng gave Xu Damao a thumbs up: "This time we'll definitely be able to find that guy."

"Being prepared for both possibilities is a good idea. I'll go home for dinner first and come back around nine o'clock." Sha Zhu agreed with Xu Damao's plan, waved his hand, and went home to cook.

Around 10 o'clock, Xu Damao began to take action.

He first took out the meat and apples, then lit two incense sticks and handed them to Hou Guifang.

"Say it the way we agreed."

"Da Mao, I'm scared!"

Hou Guifang's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, as if she had not yet emerged from the shadow of yesterday.

Xu Damao squeezed Hou Guifang's hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, the three of us are squatting at the gate. If that guy dares to scare you again, we'll rush over and give him a beating. If he doesn't come out, we'll just fish him out."

In order to completely eliminate this hidden danger, Hou Guifang mustered up the courage to step out of her home.

Sha Zhu and the other two followed behind, carrying meat and apples, and squatted at the gate of the courtyard, listening intently to any sounds.

On the other side, Jia Dongxu, who was addicted to scaring people, was also ready. He took out the upgraded white cloth and was prepared to rush out and scare people as soon as he heard footsteps.

This tense yet exciting feeling made him somewhat unable to stop.

Especially when he saw others screaming in fear, Jia Dongxu felt that he had found the meaning of life.

Are you looking down on me?

Didn't they secretly call me disabled?

Scare you to death!

Just then, Jia Dongxu heard a soft footstep. He carefully gripped the corner of the wall with his hands, preparing to push himself out.

"Um, I don't know your name or where you're from, but please, please stop scaring people."

“The people in our courtyard are so scared of you that they dare not go out. Please do us a favor and eat the offerings I have prepared for you. Then hurry up and leave. I have placed the offerings at the gate of the courtyard. You can find them by following the incense.”

Hou Guifang nervously uttered these words, then cautiously glanced around. Only after finding no white ghostly figure did she breathe a sigh of relief.

After repeating what she had just said, Hou Guifang turned and ran into the courtyard.

Ok?

As Jia Dongxu smelled the sandalwood scent in the air, he couldn't help but scratch his chin.

"Do they really think I'm a ghost? Are they trying to bribe me with offerings?"

He just wanted to scare people, but he didn't expect to have such an unexpected reward.

I wonder what kind of tribute Hou Guifang gave him. What if there was meat and money? Wouldn't that be a huge profit?

Hey, I never thought scaring people could be profitable!

Thinking of this, Jia Dongxu popped his head out from behind the wall. After Hou Guifang's figure disappeared into the alley, he folded the white cloth and stuffed it under his bottom, preparing to push the wheelchair towards the gate of the courtyard after a short while.

Meanwhile, Xu Damao and his men had already hidden in the side room where Yan Jiecheng lived, waiting for their prey to take the bait.

He wasn't even sure if he could catch that thing today; who knew if it would come out and scare people?

But he couldn't think of a better way.

After waiting patiently for five or six minutes, Xu Damao and the others indeed heard a noise.

As Jia Dongxu pushed his wheelchair to the gate of the courtyard, he immediately saw the chicken and apples on the table.

"Tsk, chicken and apples, Xu Damao's wife is quite sincere."

"Hmph, but don't think you can settle things between our two families by bribing me with gifts. No way!"

After muttering a few words, Jia Dongxu unbuttoned his clothes and started stuffing apples into his pocket.

Just as he finished packing the apples and was worrying about how to take the chickens back, he suddenly heard a bang.

Immediately following was Xu Damao's loud shouting.

"Catch the ghost! Come quick, catch the ghost! I've caught the ghost!"

Upon hearing that Xu Damao was catching ghosts in the courtyard, the entire courtyard became abuzz with excitement. Not only did the lights in courtyard number 95 turn on, but the lights in the two neighboring courtyards also lit up.

"Oh, it really exists! I thought it was just a rumor!"

"Damn, I need to go see what a ghost looks like. It scared me yesterday."

"Hurry, hurry, don't let the ghost get away."

In an instant, all the residents of the courtyard rushed out.

Uncle Yan Bugui, being the closest to the house, was the first to rush out.

He first glanced at his eldest son, Yan Jiecheng: "Jiecheng, where is Xu Damao?"

Yan Jiecheng pointed towards the door: "It's right there at the door. We've already caught the ghost."

Yan Bugui was taken aback: "Then what are you standing there for?"

“I’ll give you directions!” Yan Jiecheng said matter-of-factly.

Got it!

That makes sense.

After hearing this, Yan Bugui didn't delay any longer and walked to the courtyard gate.

Xu Damao was holding a flashlight and confronting something.

That guy made a commotion and seemed to want to run away, but Sha Zhu swung his fist and punched him several times.

"Well done, Sha Zhu!"

Yan Bugui couldn't help but praise him, feeling that Sha Zhu was incredibly brave, daring to even fight ghosts.

But the moment that thought crossed his mind, Yan Bugui's expression froze on his face.

Jia Dongxu?

The thing that Xu Damao and Sha Zhu were blocking was actually Jia Dongxu, who was in a wheelchair?

"Ah, Dongxu??"

"Dongxu, how did you get hit? It's a misunderstanding, it must be a misunderstanding!"

"Xu Damao, what are you doing? Why are you hitting my man?"

Qin Huairu, who had been worried at home, rushed forward only slightly slower than Yan Bugui. When she arrived, she saw Sha Zhu beating Jia Dongxu.

But no one responded to her questions.

Whether it was Xu Damao and his group, or the residents who ran out after hearing the commotion, they all understood what was going on.

The scary white figure that appeared at the public restroom entrance last night was actually Jia Dongxu.

That’s reasonable!

Everything makes sense!

No wonder everyone who saw the ghost yesterday said that the white ghost floated in and out without any walking pattern.

Jia Dongxu in a wheelchair—that's exactly how it looks.

"No way, Jia Dongxu, are you crazy? Why aren't you sleeping at night, instead of pretending to be a ghost outside the toilet?"

"Damn it, I deserve to beat you to death. My wife didn't sleep well at all last night, and she's too scared to go out tonight."

"You despicable bastard, kill him!"

"Jia Dongxu, if you don't give me an explanation, then you'll have to taste my fist."

For a moment, the residents of the courtyard were extremely agitated, and several people shouted that they wanted to beat up Jia Dongxu.

Xu Damao shone a flashlight into Jia Dongxu's eyes and sneered, "Jia Dongxu, stop pretending to be mute and confess your crimes."

"Jia Dongxu, are you fucking sick?!" Sha Zhu saw that he kept his mouth shut and refused to speak, so he went up and slapped him.