A debt-ridden tycoon inherits a luxury mansion, but the tenants are not human.

At seven o'clock in the morning, the shrill ring of his cell phone woke him up.

Chen Mo grabbed his phone, hung up, and blocked the number.

As soon as I put it down, the screen lit up again.

Unknown number.

He had a throbbing pain in his temples and immediately turned off the phone.

He sat by the bed for a long time, his eyes dry.

In the corner of the room, the shadow of a Republic-era long gown still lingers, as one looks up at the ceiling.

Under the locust tree outside the window, there was also a woman singing opera, her water sleeves hanging to the ground, her lips opening and closing.

Chen Mo got out of bed, walked barefoot across the floor, and went to his desk.

Su Wanqing's records and diary were placed side by side.

He turned to the last page.

The ink on the sentence, "I just... don't want to be bullied," was crooked and almost broken.

He closed his diary and turned the computer back on.

Collection notices, landlords urging rent payment, bank reminders—one after another, they kept popping up.

The last message was sent by Li Jing.

"I got Zhou Ming's phone number; he said we can talk this afternoon."

Chen Mo glanced at the time, replied with a thank you, and saved the number.

Downstairs, the smell of the old house has changed.

Several more shadows appeared in the main room.

The man in the suit sat in a grand chair, flipping through a newspaper that wasn't even there.

A child with pigtails squatted on the ground playing marbles. There was nothing on the ground, but the sound of glass marbles colliding could be heard.

At the kitchen doorway, the old lady was bent over, making the motion of picking vegetables.

Chen Mo ignored them, went into the kitchen, lit a fire, and boiled water.

The kettle is steaming.

He leaned against the door frame, looking at the woman under the locust tree.

In the spiritual vision, a faint pink halo floated around the woman.

She raised her hand, turned around, her water sleeves billowed, her singing always stuck at a high pitch, and then stopped.

"who is she?"

The earth's spirit seeped out from the corner of the wall, and its voice entered my mind.

"Actors of the Republic of China era"

"On his last appearance on stage, the theater caught fire, and he couldn't escape."

"My obsession is to finish singing that play, 'Broken Bridge'."

Chen Mo looked around the courtyard.

"Why not help her?"

"The timing is wrong."

The earth spirit moved next to him.

"She has to wait until July, when the yin energy is stronger, before the illness can be cured."

Chen Mo recalled that in the book "The Record of Obsessions", it was written that every obsession has a window of opportunity.

If you miss it, you'll have to wait.

The water has boiled.

He tore open the instant noodle bag and poured hot water over it.

The fragrance dissipated.

The spirit of the earth stood at the door.

"Is there any progress on Jing'an Temple?"

"have."

Chen Mo rolled up a noodle and took a bite.

"Go on the 15th."

"Li Yaohua has bodyguards, and there are people in the temple too, so you can't get close."

"Then let him come to me."

"How do I find it?"

Chen Mo put down his fork and took out the small cloth bag that Granny Wang had given him from his pocket.

"Incense ash".

He twisted the opening of the bag.

"Li Yaohua believes in feng shui and is also afraid of unclean things."

"I want him to feel that Su Wanqing is clinging to him."

The spirit paused.

"Are you trying to scare people with a ghost?"

"I wasn't pretending."

Chen Mo pointed to his eyes, which were bloodshot.

"I can really see it."

"Su Wanqing's obsession lies with me."

"I can get her to come out in person."

"The risk is high."

The spirit's voice was deep and resonant.

"If he doesn't believe you, or if the person he finds is stronger than you, you'll lose your life."

Chen Mo finished the rest of the instant noodles.

"Let's take a gamble."

"Anyway, I don't have much capital."

After finishing his noodles, he went upstairs to change into a white shirt and dialed Zhou Ming's number.

The ringtone rang a few times.

The other side answered.

"Feed?"

"Mr. Zhou, I am Chen Mo."

"I have a lead regarding your mother, Ms. Lin Xiulan's, ring."

There was a moment of silence on the phone, with only the static of the line breaking.

"What ring?"

"Silver wedding ring".

Chen Mo lowered his voice.

"Inscribed inside are the words: 'Orchid and life, forever of one heart.'"

"I'm currently at the Archaeological Research Institute of the Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics."

The keyboard noise on the other end stopped.

"How did you find it?"

"By chance."

Chen Mo said.

"An old friend of your mother's asked me to find her."

"Who?"

"Chen Banshan".

There was no sound from that side.

After a while, Zhou Ming finally spoke.

"My mom seems to have mentioned this person before, a distant relative?"

"right."

Chen Mo said.

"He entrusted this matter to me before he left."

"Only a family member can claim the ring. Is it convenient for you to come back?"

A long sigh came from the other end of the phone.

"I'm in Shenzhen, and I can't leave for work."

"Besides, he's been gone for so many years."

"What good is finding a ring?"

Chen Mo gripped his phone tightly.

"That was something she was still thinking about before she left."

"I know."

Zhou Ming's voice was hoarse.

"I was studying in another city when my mother passed away, and I didn't get to see her one last time."

"Later, my dad passed away too."

"It's really not easy for me to make a living in Shenzhen all by myself."

"I can't leave to go back home because of a ring."

"You can entrust me with this."

Chen Mo said.

"Authorization documents and proof of identity are required."

Zhou Ming paused for a long time.

"Mr. Chen, it's not that I don't believe you."

"This is too mysterious."

"How can you prove the ring really belongs to my mother?"

"Engraving".

"Orchids and life, forever of one heart."

"I know that."

Zhou Ming said.

"But how do I know you're not a fraud?"

Chen Mo's throat tightened.

Add me on WeChat.

"I'll send you the photos."

"Read it first, then we'll talk."

Zhou Ming agreed.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Mo sent a friend request.

In the main room, he opened "The Book of Obsession".

The handwriting on Lin Xiulan's page has faded.

The task status is still active.

The matter isn't over until the items are handed over to the family members.

The old grandfather clock struck eight.

Remembering the funeral home, Chen Mo grabbed his coat and went out.

At the alley entrance, he bought two meat buns and ate them as he walked.

On the bus, the smell of sweat and exhaust fumes mingled together.

He sat down by the window.

In the spiritual vision, several shadows were sitting in the carriage.

A middle-aged woman is holding a non-existent baby, humming a song.

The old man, who was dozing off, nodded his head little by little, but his shadow remained upright and motionless.

Chen Mo turned his face to the window.

The funeral home is located in the suburbs.

The car swayed for over an hour.

The courtyard was planted with pine and cypress trees, and the smell of burning paper mixed with the smell of disinfectant.

At the columbarium, an elderly man wearing reading glasses sat behind the counter, reading a newspaper.

"Hello, I would like to view seat number 24 in row 7 of section B."

The old man looked at him from above his glasses.

"Family members?"

"A friend asked me to come."

"no."

The old man waved his hand.

"The rule is that only immediate family members can view it."

Chen Mo didn't say anything, but took out two red tickets and pushed them over.

The old man looked at the money, then at him, and finally stuffed the money into the drawer and took out the key.

"The innermost part of the second floor."

"Don't stay too long."

"Thanks."

The key fell into my palm; it was so cold it felt prickly.

The second-floor corridor was very quiet.

Footsteps echoed on the concrete floor, one after another.

The metal racks were filled with urns, one next to the other.

He found Section B, Row 7, Number 24.

Black wooden box.

The label is yellowed.

Name: Su Wanqing.

Born in May 1990.

He died in July of the sixteenth year.

Note: Unclaimed.

Chen Mo stood in front of the shelf, looking at the four words.

ten years.

Nobody came to see it.

No one offered incense.

No one is wiping the dust.

He reached out and touched the surface of the box.

A chill crept into my arm from my fingertips.

My chest felt blocked, and I couldn't breathe.

Loneliness, despair, and resentment all weighed on me.

He immediately stopped, pressed his back against the metal frame, and took a few breaths.

Next to the urn, there was a small bunch of dried flowers.

The petals were blackened, and the ribbon was tied into a bow, but the knot was crooked.

When Chen Mo went downstairs to return the keys, he asked.

"Who put that bouquet of flowers there?"

The old man thought for a moment.

"A little girl."

"They say they're fans of Su Wanqing."

"They used to send flowers every year on the fifteenth of July."

"He didn't come last year."

"They've probably forgotten."

Chen Mo nodded, turned around and went out the door.

Outside the funeral home, the sunlight was dazzling.

Across the street, under the bus stop sign, stood the silhouette of a little girl with a schoolbag.

He walked over and stood to the side.

The girl turned her head and gave him a toothless smile.

The next second, she boarded a bus that didn't exist, and that was it.

On the bus back to the city, my phone vibrated.

Zhou Ming contacted a friend.

Chen Mo sent over a photo of the ring.

In the photo, five characters are engraved on the inside of the ring.

Orchids and life, forever of one heart.

Zhou Ming replied quickly.

"It's my mom's."

"I saw the photo among my father's belongings."

Chen Mo is typing.

"Then are you willing to grant authorization?"

"I need to think about it."

Zhou Ming sent another message.

"And why are you so enthusiastic?"

"What good will this do you?"

Chen Mo stared at the screen, his finger hovering over the input box.

After a moment, he returned.

"I promised Mr. Chen Banshan."

"To fulfill your mother's last wish."

"It's not beneficial."

"I did promise."

Zhou Ming did not reply.

Chen Mo locked the screen and looked out the window.

The glass curtain wall reflected light so brightly it hurt my eyes.

It was already one o'clock in the afternoon when we got back to the old house.

He ate a bowl of noodles at a small shop at the alley entrance and went inside.

Inside the main room, a clay figurine of the earth spirit stood beside the table.

"At three o'clock in the afternoon, Li Yaohua went to Jing'an Temple to offer incense."

Today is the first day of the lunar month.

He goes there on the first and fifteenth of every month.

Chen Mo glanced at his phone.

It's past two o'clock.

The spirit of the earth asked.

"Have you decided what to do?"

"I've made up my mind."

Chen Mo draped his coat over the back of the chair.

"Teach me to whisper my obsession."

"I want to hear what Su Wanqing really wants to say."

"Then tell Li Yaohua exactly what he said."

The earth spirit's mud body swayed.

"Can."

"Remember this: whispering obsessions will tear your mind apart and fill it with her emotions."

"You might be influenced by her."

"In a short period of time, my speech, expressions, and movements will all become like hers."

Chen Mo swallowed hard.

"Can you handle it?"

He remained silent for a few seconds.

"able."

"sit down."

The earth spirit raised its mud hand and placed it on his head.

It feels cool and hard to the touch.

A chill ran down Chen Mo's spine from his scalp, and his shoulders tensed abruptly.

"Close your eyes."

The voice of the earth spirit drilled into my mind.

"I miss Su Wanqing."

"Listen to her heartbeat."

"Listen to her breathing."

"Listen to what she didn't say."

Chen Mo closed his eyes.

A flash of white light appeared before my eyes.

The sound of the wind filled my ears.

At the edge of the rooftop, Su Wanqing's deathly pale face suddenly appeared before his eyes.