The old man's residence was at the edge of Lin'an County. Li Fan and Li Hongyi followed him for a long time.
Judging by the old man's pace, he must have left for the City God Temple around midnight to pray for his granddaughter's blessing.
In the old alley, the houses were dilapidated, seemingly ready to collapse at any moment, and there were puddles everywhere on the road. In a narrow, rundown courtyard, the old man sat on the rotting floor outside a door, muttering, "Xiao He, I've gone to the City God Temple to pray for you again today."
"You haven't recovered; it must be that the offerings aren't plentiful enough. Grandpa doesn't have the means, so he can only save bit by bit. Once there's enough merit, you'll surely get better."
"Today at the City God Temple, Grandpa met two polite young people who even called me grandpa. That young lady, although she was veiled, had truly beautiful eyes, just like yours, full of spiritual energy and very healthy. If you get better, you could be like her."
"There was a young man with her, likely her husband. He's really good-looking. When you get better, Grandpa will find someone like that for you. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Talking about this, the old man had a look of anticipation in his eyes and even managed to smile.
What a wonderful picture that fantasy was.
The old man kept talking to himself, saying, "Xiao He, you must be hungry. Grandpa will cook for you."
He struggled to get up, went to the side to pick up the firewood, counted the rice grains into the pot one by one, and finally got the fire going. The old man was already sweating profusely. He moved to the side, picked up some bark, and started gnawing on it.
However, since he was old and his teeth weren't good, he had to chew and swallow with difficulty.
Li Hongyi couldn't bear to watch anymore and took a step toward the inside, but Li Fan grabbed her arm. She shot him a look, only to see Li Fan step ahead of her towards the courtyard and call out, "Grandpa."
The old man looked up, focused his eyes, and finally realized it was the two young people. He tried to stand up, but Li Fan stepped forward and said, "Grandpa, it's fine, you can stay seated."
"What brings you here?" the old man asked.
"I heard you talking about your granddaughter's mysterious illness. I've studied some medicine, so I came to see if I could help. Please don't mind," Li Fan said.
"The place is small, with nowhere to sit," the old man said, a bit flustered.
"It's alright, we'll just sit on the ground." Li Fan sat beside the old man, and Li Hongyi followed suit.
"This isn't good for your health," Li Fan said to Li Hongyi beside him, "Wife, would you go buy some food?"
Li Hongyi: "?"
Got carried away with the act, haven't you?
"Okay..." Li Hongyi got up and walked out.
"How could I let this happen?" the old man said.
"Doctors are supposed to be kind-hearted, Grandpa, don't worry about it," Li Fan replied.
The old man's eyes turned a little red as he looked at the young couple in front of him and said, "How wonderful."
"But Xiao He is shy; she doesn't talk during the day, so she might not come out."
"It's okay; I can wait," Li Fan said, understanding the situation outside the courtyard.
Xiao He might know the truth about the City God Temple incident.
Before long, Li Hongyi returned with her hands full of items like a housewife going about her day, no longer resembling the Red-Clad Immortal of Lin'an County.
"Sigh..." The old man sighed and wiped his tears upon seeing this scene.
"This old man is full of shame," he said.
"Sir, you mentioned your granddaughter got better after visiting the City God Temple last time, perhaps she was meant to get better anyway. You've been to the City God Temple so many times, and yet Xiao He's condition is unchanged. Perhaps it's best not to go again," Li Fan advised.
"Young man, one must always have some hope to live on," the old man understood this truth, but what else could he do?
What else could be done?
Li Fan understood; praying to gods and spirits was probably for peace of mind, for hope.
Sadly, they were praying to an Evil God.
"Living is so tiring," the old man sighed, "But for Xiao He, I must hold on. If something really happens to Xiao He, I'd go with her."
Suddenly, Li Fan felt a wave of sorrow.
Li Fan didn't shatter the old man's illusion—it's the hope that keeps him going.
Li Fan and the old man chatted idly as the sky darkened, and the temperature in Lin'an City seemed to drop a few degrees.
The old man waited until it got completely dark before knocking on Xiao He's door, saying, "Xiao He, the young man I told you about is here. He knows some medicine and wants to help you."
There was no response.
The old man called out a few more times, but it remained silent.
He felt a bit let down and looked at Li Fan, saying, "Xiao He is shy; she's probably unwilling to come out."
"Grandpa, you should rest first. I'll wait a while longer. If Xiao He doesn't come out, we'll leave," Li Fan said to him.
"Alright, the county has been chaotic recently; you must be careful on your way back," the old man reminded.
Li Fan nodded, and the old man went to rest in the wood shed.
"Miss Xiao He, we have something to ask you," Li Fan said softly at the door, but there was no answer.
"About the City God Temple," Li Fan added, but still there was silence. He walked back to his original spot and sat down.
As the night deepened, the dilapidated courtyard felt increasingly eerie.
Li Fan and Li Hongyi had no intention of leaving, just sitting there waiting.
A gust of cold wind blew through, accompanied by a few chills, and the creaky old gate eerily creaked.
When Li Fan turned around, he saw a figure silently standing behind them, its hair disheveled, covering most of its face, revealing a ghostly pale half that exuded a sinister aura—a ghostly girl.
"Is it you, Xiao He?" Li Fan asked quietly.
The ghost was startled and pulled her hair aside, revealing a completely bloodless pale face as she stared at Li Fan.
Li Fan looked back at her.
Ghost: "..."
Why aren't they running away?
"Is it you, Xiao He?" The old man's voice came, and the ghost's expression turned flustered, saying, "Grandpa, don't come out."
"Alright, alright, Grandpa won't come out. They are here to help. Xiao He, have a proper talk with them," said the old man.
"Okay."
The ghost obediently responded and then feigned a sinister look, saying, "I don't need help."
"Miss Xiao He, we are practitioners," Li Fan replied. Xiao He was momentarily stunned and then knelt, kowtowing to Li Fan, saying, "I have not harmed anyone. Please, spare me."
No wonder Li Fan wasn't afraid; perhaps they came to deal with her. If she were gone, Grandpa wouldn't be able to bear it.
"Miss Xiao He, we have no intention to harm you; we just have some questions," Li Fan said. "Shall we talk outside?"
"Okay." Xiao He nodded, smoothing her long hair a bit, no longer displaying her previous sinister expression. She looked rather vulnerable, appearing to be only fifteen or sixteen years old.
Li Fan noticed that she seemed even younger than himself and paused for a moment before silently walking outside.
The two led Xiao He to a nearby rooftop, and Li Fan asked, "Miss Xiao He, today at the City God Temple, we saw your grandfather praying. After inquiry, we learned of your situation. Is your death connected with the City God?"
"Sir, I don't know anything," Xiao He replied, frightened, and knelt again, her ghostly body trembling lightly.
Li Fan wanted to say more, but Li Hongyi stepped forward.
"Miss Xiao He, we are practitioners and have no connection with the City God, nor do we believe in ghosts or deities. Recently, several young women have gone missing. I suspect it is related to the City God, which is why we went to the City God Temple to investigate," Li Hongyi said gently. "Is it that City God?"
Xiao He trembled even more, and Li Hongyi continued, "Xiao He, your grandfather's journey to and from the City God Temple takes more than half a day at his pace. His health can't take such exertion. Do you wish to continue torturing him like this?"
Hearing about her grandfather, Xiao He could no longer hold back. She knelt on the ground, crying in agony, "I don't want to either. I've tried to persuade Grandpa, but he insists on going. If he knew the truth, he would surely go to the City God Temple to demand an explanation. I would end up getting him killed."
"Grandpa's health is weak; he can't endure hardship anymore. I shouldn't exist in this world, but Grandpa is old, and I can't let go. If I'm gone, Grandpa won't survive..."
"Xiao He, tell me what happened?" Li Hongyi asked.
Xiao He looked up at Li Hongyi, still hesitant, but seeing her sincere eyes, she finally spoke, "That day, I went to pray for Grandpa at the City God Temple. It became too late, so I stayed in the temple to rest. That's when the City God appeared before me. After understanding my family's circumstances, he led me to the prison beneath the City God Temple. The City God, he..."
Xiao He fell into painful memories and said, "He was Lord City God, a divine being. But he imprisoned women to absorb their yin energy. After I was humiliated, I was also imprisoned. In my grief and rage, I smashed myself to death in the prison. Somehow, I became a ghost and escaped back to Grandpa. I only wanted to spend a bit more time with him."
Li Fan and Li Hongyi were silent after listening; it was likely the overwhelming wrath and yin energy that turned Xiao He into a ghost.
"Let's go," Li Hongyi suddenly turned and said.
"Where?" Li Fan asked.
"City God Temple," Li Hongyi replied.
"Not yet," Li Fan looked at Xiao He and said, "Miss Xiao He, you can go to Fulong Manor to find Sister Xiu and Mr. Liu. Tell them Li Fan sent you; maybe they can help you."
"Alright." Xiao He wasn't sure if she understood but said to Li Fan, "Sir, could you keep me out of it?"
"Don't worry," Li Fan nodded. Xiao He knelt in gratitude before returning home to find the old man sitting outside. Seeing her return, he gave her a warm smile.
"Xiao He, you're back."
"Grandpa," Xiao He nodded.
"Xiao He, come to Grandpa's side."
"Grandpa, I'm cold."
"It's okay, Xiao He, come here," the old man beckoned. Xiao He hesitated and sat at a step's distance from him.
The old man looked at his granddaughter, just staring, his eyes growing bloodshot. Xiao He asked, "Grandpa, what's wrong?"
"Xiao He, tell me honestly, are you no longer here?" The old man's eyes were filled with tears.
"Grandpa..." Xiao He stood up in shock.
"Since you returned, the house has always been cold. You don't come out during the day, only at night," the old man said. "Those two young people, anyone can see they're not ordinary. They're not afraid of the cold, casually staying outside at night, probably flying around like immortals."
"Grandpa isn't foolish, just reluctant to think about it," the old man wept bitterly, "Xiao He, Grandpa couldn't take good care of you. I've let you down, and I've let your parents down too."
"Grandpa." Xiao He cried, kneeling beside him.
"Xiao He, let Grandpa hold you," the old man trembled as he reached out his hand. Xiao He moved closer, kneeling beside him. The old man lightly embraced her, his hands passing through her body.
The old man smiled, his hands hovering in an embrace, closing his eyes and saying, "Xiao He, in the next life, don't be my granddaughter. Remember to choose a good family, okay?"
"Grandpa, in the next life, Xiao He will still be your granddaughter," Xiao He cried.
When she looked up, she saw that Grandpa's eyes were closed, breathless, yet still embracing her.
"Grandpa, let's leave together," Xiao He laid her head on the old man's lap, her body gradually dissipating.
In the small courtyard, two ethereal figures appeared, an elderly and a young one, holding hands and gradually fading into the world.