I rushed out of the pharmacy and ran along West Street. Within minutes, I caught sight of the little boy ahead. In his hand was the Broken Intestine Herb I had sold him, and he was walking forward slowly, step by step.
I called out to him loudly from behind, but he seemed deaf to my voice, his head bowed, quietly continuing on his way.
I quickened my pace—clearly, he was only a few steps ahead of me. But no matter how I shouted or chased, the distance between us never changed.
As he turned a corner, he suddenly vanished. I had seen him turn just moments before—how could he disappear so completely?
Could that boy have been a ghost?
The thought sent a chill through me. If he truly was a ghost, perhaps this would all blow over. The police wouldn't come looking for me for selling the wrong medicine. But if he wasn't a ghost—if he took the poison and died—then even a thousand explanations couldn't clear my name.
I searched for a while longer but found no trace of the boy, so I turned back. On my way, I kept wondering—who had switched the honeysuckle with the Broken Intestine Herb?
That spot had always stored honeysuckle. Every time I dispensed medicine for that boy, I took it from there—never once had there been a mistake. But this time, something had gone terribly wrong. Someone must have tampered with my herbs.
Then I recalled—yesterday, thirteen people entered my shop, but only twelve left. My heart tightened. Could it be… a ghost had stayed behind in my pharmacy, plotting to harm me?
This disturbing thought pushed me into a brisk walk. Up ahead, another corner appeared.
Wait, that's not right. There was only one corner on my way here—the one where I lost the boy. Why is there another?
I glanced around and felt a sudden shiver—it was the same corner where I had lost sight of the boy.
Confused, I thought, Did I get so caught up in my thoughts that I wandered in circles and ended up back here?
This time, I cleared my mind and focused solely on the road ahead. At first, everything seemed normal. But after ten minutes of walking, the same corner appeared again.
Damn it. I was trapped in a ghost loop.
Back in my hometown, encountering a ghost loop wasn't always a bad omen. Some spirits only meant to play tricks; others sought to harm. Strangely enough, there were tales of ghosts who set up such traps to protect someone from a greater danger.
I had no way of knowing which kind I'd encountered. If it was the first, I just had to endure the mischief till daylight. But if it was the second or third, I had to find a way out—and fast. If it was a malicious ghost, the longer I lingered, the greater the danger. And if it was the third kind—one trying to protect me—it meant the real threat was even stronger, and this ghost lacked the power to stop it directly. If that thing found me, I wouldn't stand a chance.
In such situations, there was only one way to survive—never stop walking. The moment you stopped was the moment you let the ghost know you were aware, and that was perilous.
Nerves taut, I pressed on. Halfway along, a figure appeared in the distance—it was my roommate, Zhang Kun.
I felt a jolt of despair.
Zhang Kun had died long ago. To see him now could only mean one thing—he had returned for me, to drag me down as his substitute.
Zhang Kun saw me too. He approached and said, "Ye Cheng, why are you still here?"
I wanted to ask if he was man or ghost, but I realized he didn't know I was aware of his death. If I asked outright and he was a ghost, I'd be doomed. So I feigned ignorance. "I was just packing a few things before leaving. Didn't expect it to get so late…"
"Sigh…" Zhang Kun let out a heavy sigh. "Hurry and follow me. If you don't leave now, you'll be in trouble. There's a malevolent spirit behind you…"
I couldn't be sure if he was telling the truth. But I had been trapped in this ghost loop for a while now, and following him might be my only chance. As long as I stayed alert, it was better than being lost here until I died.
So I followed Zhang Kun, step by cautious step. After about ten minutes, the road ahead grew clearer. The familiar outline of the Herbal Fragrance Pharmacy came into view.
Zhang Kun turned to me and smiled, then stepped inside. I breathed a long sigh of relief and prepared to follow.
But just as I was about to enter, someone yanked my arm. Irritated, I turned around, ready to snap—but the words caught in my throat.
Behind me stood a striking young woman in traditional ethnic attire. Her short hair framed a delicate, refined face.
"What are you staring at? If I'd known you were this pervy, I wouldn't have saved you!" she snapped, frowning at my gaze.
"S-Saved me?" I stammered, bewildered.
"Look down," she said, releasing my arm.
I turned—and a wave of cold swept over me. In front of me was no pharmacy, but a cliff edge. Below was the Blackwater Lake—the site of the Zhang Family Village minibus tragedy. One of my feet was already halfway off the cliff. If she hadn't grabbed me, I'd have plummeted into the abyss.
"This… this…" I was struck dumb with horror.
"No need to thank me," she said coolly. "I just happened to be passing by. Consider it a small deed of merit." Before I could speak, she interrupted, "Hey, is there a Chinese medicine shop nearby called Herbal Fragrance Pharmacy?"
"You're… headed to Herbal Fragrance Pharmacy?" I asked in shock.
"Yeah, just passing through. Thought I'd rest and visit my martial uncle's disciple… no idea if the poor guy's even alive," she said, a mischievous grin playing on her lips, utterly unconcerned about the possibility of her martial uncle's death.
Something didn't add up. I was the only one at Herbal Fragrance Pharmacy. Whose disciple could she be talking about?
A horrible suspicion took root—was I the one she meant?
Before I could ask, she had already vanished down the road.
I turned back for one last look at the black waters below, then hurried from the cliffside to West Street. My heart still pounded from the ordeal, but thankfully, the ghost loop didn't return.
Back at the pharmacy, I saw her again. From behind, I quietly observed her. She wore a vividly colored dress embroidered with dragons, phoenixes, birds, fish, and flowers—clearly from the Miao ethnic group.
She stood there, brows tightly furrowed, staring ahead with intense focus.
I followed her gaze and saw a small boy in white squatting silently at the pharmacy's entrance.
He was back?
Panic surged. I rushed forward, intending to ask whether he had taken the poisonous herb. But as I passed the girl, she grabbed my arm and whispered, "What are you doing? Do you have a death wish?"
"I gave him the wrong—" I began, but she clamped a hand over my mouth and nose, her face solemn.
"Don't speak. That boy… something's wrong with him."
I struggled for air, but then the boy stood up and slowly turned toward us—his eyes filled with sorrow and something far more chilling…
4o