Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts - Chapter 2

All the strange things started when I rented that nicely furnished three-bedroom apartment at a super low price. I had just graduated high school, and my buddy Tai Long and I had already found out that the university dorms didn’t have air conditioning. We weren’t thrilled about staying on campus, so the moment we got our acceptance letters, we couldn’t wait to find a place to live near the university.

“Hey, Ah Hui, get over to Jiangbei! I heard there’s a place there going for an insanely cheap rent, just three hundred a month…”

The call was from Tai Long. I squinted at the clock; it was already noon. I glanced around the empty room. Everyone was gone. Finally, the hellish year of senior high was over. After the gaokao, some of the guys had gone off to work, others were gaming all day. We’d kept living together, but after the acceptance letters came, everyone started heading home one by one. Tomorrow, I’d be going back to my hometown too, staying for two months before coming back for college. I’d move out of this little rental by the high school and into a bigger one near the university. Ah, life—it’s just a series of relocations.

Rubbing my temples, I tried to shake off the hangover. Last night, I had a farewell drink with my high school buddies. After a quick wash and grabbing whatever clothes I could find, I headed out to check out this supposedly good apartment.

I made my way to the entrance of the Beian Complex and called Miss Li, the landlord. She answered quickly, sounding like she was in her thirties. “Hello? Are you the one interested in renting the place?” she asked.

“Yeah, that’s me. I’m right at the entrance; let’s talk in person.”

“Alright.”

Soon, Miss Li arrived at the gate. Dressed in a sleek black business outfit, even though she looked to be in her thirties, she still had a certain allure. At least, to an eighteen-year-old single guy like me, she looked pretty attractive.

“Hello, you must be Miss Li? We spoke on the phone.” Of course, I couldn’t act like a slob in front of her. Smiling, I extended my hand and said, “I’m Chen Hui, here to check out the place.”

“Alright, follow me.” Miss Li seemed warm on the surface, though she didn’t seem overly interested in chatting with me. She led me into the complex, which was a large, new development. Despite being on the outskirts of Jiangbei, the housing prices were still high.

“Miss Li, how many bedrooms does this apartment have? Does it have air conditioning? And, most importantly, the rent…” Looking at the huge buildings around me, I started to wonder how it could be so cheap at just two hundred a month. Was Tai Long just messing with me?

But Miss Li quickly reassured me.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Chen. The apartment is 106 square meters, a fully furnished three-bedroom with south-north exposure, cool in summer and warm in winter. Water, electricity, and the internet are separate and charged at market rate. Rent is three hundred a month, with a three-month deposit and one month’s rent upfront.” She answered with a professional smile.

My heart skipped a beat. Even though I’d just graduated high school, I wasn’t about to believe in any “free lunch” scenario. Looking at Miss Li, I asked, “Miss Li, is there any issue with this place? I’d appreciate it if you’d be upfront so I know what to expect. We’re just broke students; if something comes up later, it’ll be awkward for everyone. Let’s be transparent.” I thought maybe it was some scam, like renting a place on the verge of eviction or something. But her next words were actually reassuring.

With a hesitant expression, as if she’d made up her mind, Miss Li said, “To be honest, this place… it’s haunted.”

“Haunted?” I felt a strange excitement bubbling up. I mean, I wasn’t a freak or anything, but did ghosts even exist? I figured it was probably just a case of someone scaring themselves silly, thinking there were ghosts. A lot of people believe in this stuff, so a low rent seemed reasonable.

“Mr. Chen, why don’t we discuss the rent a bit further?” She seemed afraid I’d back out. Smiling, I said, “No worries, money’s a minor issue. Lead the way; if I like it, I’ll sign the lease.”

“I’d better explain the whole haunting situation first.” She looked at me earnestly. Figuring it was just superstition, I replied, “Sure, go ahead. No problem.”

It turns out the original owners were a couple in their early thirties with a twelve-year-old daughter. Half a year ago, their daughter died at home under mysterious circumstances; supposedly, she strangled herself. It was all over the news, and I had heard about it too. The couple then decided to move out and sold the apartment at a low price to Miss Li.

Miss Li ran a business and needed an employee dormitory. She thought it was no big deal, but after her employees moved in, each of the ten workers began dreaming about playing hide-and-seek with a little girl in the apartment every night. Every night, it was the same dream. After hearing their complaints, Miss Li took it seriously, moved them out, and put the place up for rent at a low price. Despite the discount, nobody dared to live there; even the braver tenants would leave after a few days. She’d dropped the rent even further, hoping university students, full of youthful energy, could suppress any lingering spirits.

That was everything Miss Li told me. I did feel a little spooked, honestly. While I didn’t believe in ghosts, some things defy explanation. I almost backed out, but then I thought, three hundred a month, and it’s so close to campus. A deal like this doesn’t come around often. So I said, “Let me see the place first before deciding.”

Miss Li didn’t try to persuade me further. Actually, I appreciated her honesty. Most people would’ve kept it quiet just to get the place rented out.

The apartment was in the central building of the complex—strangely enough, it was Building Four, on the fourth floor, in Room 404. Geez, could it get any more unlucky? Miss Li opened the door, and as I stepped inside, I realized it was worth it, even if it was haunted. LCD TV, big sofa, two bedrooms each with a computer, a kitchen fully stocked down to the cooking oil… everything I could need was there, all for just three hundred a month.

“Miss Li, I’ll take it! Let’s sign the contract right now!” I decided on the spot. Miss Li had the lease ready, and we signed it quickly. I paid a two-hundred deposit, with the rent due after moving in. As I walked her out, she whispered, “Little brother, I recommend you take the room by the window.”

“For the view?”

“No, so if it gets too much, you can jump out. It’s only the fourth floor; if you’re lucky, you won’t die.”

“Ha, you’re really funny,” I laughed awkwardly. Once Miss Li left, I pulled myself together and started cleaning up. It was already tidy, but I organized a few things, turned on the TV and air conditioning, and lay on the couch to relax.

Time passed quickly, and it was dark before I knew it. When I checked the time, it was five o’clock. I needed food, so I headed to the fridge. There were actually quite a few ingredients inside. As I opened it, I froze. There, in the middle, was a ragged, red-dressed doll.

Swallowing hard, I reassured myself, “No ghosts here; Miss Li must have left it to scare me.” My hand shook as I reached in to pick up the doll, but just as I was about to throw it away, I heard a small girl’s voice behind me.

“Uncle, why are you holding my doll?”

“Gah!” I spun around, and there stood a little girl, looking about four or five years old. She was entirely purple, with no pupils in her eyes, only whites, and wearing a red dress.

“This is an illusion; it has to be,” I muttered. The girl walked closer, studying me with curiosity. “Can you see me? You can see me, Uncle! Will you help me with something?”

“Help? With what?” I asked, bewildered.

“Help me get revenge.” Her words nearly made me faint. Was she admitting she was a ghost? Desperately, I stammered, “Miss, I’m no hero or rich second-gen; I’m just a regular guy. There’s no point in asking me for help.”

“Just answer if you’ll help or not!” The girl seemed annoyed, and the temperature around me suddenly dropped as if the air conditioner had been set to sixteen degrees. Seeing this ghostly “young lady” getting upset, I dared not refuse, quickly responding, “Yes, yes, I’ll help. What do you need?”

“Perfect!” The girl broke into a delighted smile, and before I could react, she darted into my arms and—entered my body! Everything went black, and I fainted.