Chapter 27: The Whys and Wherefores
The reason Yang Haoran brought up the Death God Pendant at this moment was that he still had some questions he couldn't figure out.
From the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman's fear of the Death God Pendant last night, it was clear that the Death God Pendant had a certain restraining effect on her. Otherwise, the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman wouldn't have been so terrified of it at the time.
Jiang Zhenzhen also had a Death God Pendant in her possession—the one Yang Haoran had lent her. Moreover, that Death God Pendant had also been consecrated by a temple keeper. When Yang Haoran lent it to Jiang Zhenzhen, he had repeatedly, *emphatically* instructed her to keep it on her person at all times. So why was the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman still able to approach her?
Logically, with the Death God Pendant on her, the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman shouldn't have dared to come near her. Just like when Yang Haoran held the Death God Pendant, the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman was extremely wary and wouldn't approach him. If the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman hadn't suddenly appeared in front of him, startling him and causing the Death God Pendant to fly out of his hand, he probably would have successfully led Jiang Zhenzhen and the middle-aged man away then.
Could it be that the Death God Pendant he lent Jiang Zhenzhen was a counterfeit, lacking the ability to instill fear in the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman?
When Yang Haoran inquired about the Death God Pendant, a faint blush actually appeared on Jiang Zhenzhen's pale face. She stammered, "Uh. . . uh. . . I lost it. I was wearing it around my neck, but when I got home last night, it was gone. Maybe. . . maybe I drank too much last night and accidentally dropped it on the way home."
"Lost it? ! " Yang Haoran's expression subtly shifted, and his voice noticeably rose, drawing curious, and somewhat unfriendly, glances from other beds in the ward.
Yang Haoran realized his lapse in composure and quickly offered an apologetic smile to the other occupants of the ward, who then withdrew their gazes.
Meanwhile, Jiang Zhenzhen's face flushed even deeper. But she didn't deny it; she simply nodded and meekly began, "I'm so sorry, Master Yang. I lost your treasure. Although I know this treasure isn't something that can be measured by money, besides compensation, I don't know how else to express my apologies. Just tell me how much I need to pay, Master Yang, and I'll definitely. . ."
At this moment, Yang Haoran already had a few suspicions forming in his mind. Why had Jiang Zhenzhen not been harassed by the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman the previous night, only for the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman to reappear and intensify her torment just one day later?
Now, it seemed the reason lay entirely with the Death God Pendant he had lent to Jiang Zhenzhen.
Before she met Yang Haoran, the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman had incessantly pestered Jiang Zhenzhen. After she met Yang Haoran, and he lent her the Death God Pendant, she hadn't been tormented or threatened by the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman that night. Yet, just last night, after a night of peace, the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman reappeared. . .
She didn't appear earlier, she didn't appear later, but she appeared precisely after Jiang Zhenzhen lost the Death God Pendant. Yang Haoran wasn't oblivious to what this meant.
His bag of tricks for conning ghosts, those so-called "rituals," held no sway with the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman; she simply wasn't impressed or grateful, rendering them utterly useless. The only thing that truly made the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman wary was the Death God Pendant itself!
Having figured this out, new questions arose in Yang Haoran's mind. How could a Death God Pendant, a mere inanimate object, instill fear in a ghost? Was it because a consecrated Death God Pendant possessed a unique power, or was it simply because the Death God's name carried such immense authority that even a mere pendant bearing his likeness would deter any spirit from acting impudently?
For now, there was no answer to this question. At his current level of knowledge, Yang Haoran's understanding was limited, and many of these mysteries were beyond his present comprehension. Therefore, he didn't dwell on it further.
Snapping back to reality, he saw Jiang Zhenzhen still blushing, her face etched with guilt. He knew she was likely still feeling remorseful about losing the Death God Pendant.
"If the Death God Pendant hadn't been lost, perhaps last night's events wouldn't have occurred. But now that it has happened, and the matter has been resolved, if the Death God Pendant is lost, then it's lost. As long as you're alright, that's what matters. " Yang Haoran said with a smile.
Jiang Zhenzhen fell silent for a moment, then nodded, awkwardly offering her thanks: "Thank you."
In truth, Jiang Zhenzhen was still quite conflicted. If Yang Haoran had truly demanded compensation for the Death God Pendant, she might have been able to produce a small sum. But if it were a significant amount, her meager savings certainly wouldn't suffice, and she would inevitably worry about it.
However, Yang Haoran hadn't pursued the matter, which saved her money, but ironically intensified her internal guilt.
Yang Haoran seemed to sense Jiang Zhenzhen's lingering guilt, so he smiled broadly and steered the conversation away, no longer discussing the Death God Pendant. Instead, he asked why she hadn't made it clear on the phone last night that it was a haunting, leading him to believe she'd run into hooligans. He also inquired why her phone had become unreachable immediately afterward.
In response, Jiang Zhenzhen explained everything point by point.
It turned out that when the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman had appeared, she had been utterly terrified. Before she could even clearly articulate her words, her phone had died.
The situation at the time was critical. She had shoved her phone into her pocket, ready to bolt out the door. In her mind, running out of that room didn't guarantee safety, but not running out certainly meant death!
However, the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman hadn't given her the chance, trapping her firmly inside the room through sheer terror. Until Yang Haoran arrived, she hadn't been able to escape, and then the scene Yang Haoran witnessed unfolded.
As for why Jiang Zhenzhen's phone now had power, she had charged it with a fellow patient's charger after waking up in the hospital.
After listening to Jiang Zhenzhen's narration, Yang Haoran nodded, finally understanding the entire sequence of events.
Recalling the previous night's ordeal, Jiang Zhenzhen remained trembling and utterly terrified. Seeing this, Yang Haoran knew he couldn't press her further about the Corpse-Rotting Old Woman. So, he once again changed the subject, engaging her in some other trivial, lighthearted conversation.
An hour later, Jiang Zhenzhen's complexion had significantly improved; she no longer looked so pale. During her conversation with Yang Haoran, smiles occasionally bloomed on her face. Clearly, Yang Haoran had successfully diverted her attention. At this moment, she was no longer thinking about losing the Death God Pendant, nor was she dwelling on the terrifying Corpse-Rotting Old Woman.
Realizing it was time, Yang Haoran decided to leave. He stood up and said to Jiang Zhenzhen, "I just came to see if you were alright. Seeing that you're fine, I'm relieved. I have other urgent matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now. If anything comes up, just give me a direct call."
Jiang Zhenzhen had enjoyed her conversation with Yang Haoran immensely, seeming reluctant for it to end. However, seeing the sky outside the window gradually darken, she felt embarrassed to press him to stay longer. After all, she couldn't find a suitable reason to detain Yang Haoran. She could only nod reluctantly and say "Thank You" once more.
Yang Haoran smiled, replied that it was nothing, and was about to turn and leave. Just then, the ward door was suddenly flung open with tremendous force.
Bang!
The door slammed against the wall with a dull thud. The sudden commotion drew not only Yang Haoran and Jiang Zhenzhen's attention, but also that of the other patients and their families in the ward.
A hospital ward was inherently meant to be kept quiet, ensuring patients had a conducive environment for rest. Thus, anyone with a modicum of sense would be exceptionally careful in their words and actions upon entering a ward—speaking softly and moving gently were common courtesy.
However, in this world, there were always some individuals who simply didn't understand rules. They were self-centered, acting purely on their whims, never bothering to consider others' feelings. The person who had just violently pushed open the door belonged precisely to this category.
At this moment, everyone's gaze converged on the portly figure in the doorway, their expressions far from pleased.
Standing in the doorway was a middle-aged woman, appearing to be in her mid-forties. Her figure was plump, her face fleshy, a large gold chain adorned her neck, and a designer bag hung from her hand—the epitome of a nouveau riche.
The woman's expression was grim, even more so than the displeased faces of the other people in the ward. Ignoring their sour looks, she swept her gaze across the room, finally letting it settle on Jiang Zhenzhen.
The moment Jiang Zhenzhen saw this person, her face instantly tensed. After the woman spotted Jiang Zhenzhen, she first spat out a curse from the doorway, then stalked menacingly towards Jiang Zhenzhen's bed.
Initially, the other people in the ward were filled with displeasure towards this middle-aged woman. But seeing her menacing and unapproachable demeanor, not a single person stepped forward to reprimand her, nor did anyone try to force her out of the ward. Instead, they kept their gazes fixed on her, curious to see what she intended to do.
Yang Haoran frowned. He wasn't foolish; naturally, he perceived that the woman was here for Jiang Zhenzhen.
He glanced at the menacing middle-aged woman, then at the somewhat tense Jiang Zhenzhen. Yang Haoran didn't speak rashly, as he hadn't yet figured out the relationship between the two. Speaking without understanding would be highly imprudent.
However, though he said nothing, his body, which had been standing, sat back down. This time, he didn't return to the chair he'd been on; instead, he moved directly to the side of Jiang Zhenzhen's bed, perching on the edge, very close to her.
Jiang Zhenzhen, who had been feeling incredibly tense, instantly felt a significant sense of ease as Yang Haoran sat beside her. Subconsciously, she reached out and clutched a corner of Yang Haoran's clothes. Yang Haoran noticed, but said nothing, allowing Jiang Zhenzhen to hold onto his garment.
By this time, the middle-aged woman had quickly reached Jiang Zhenzhen's side. Her bovine eyes glared at Jiang Zhenzhen, and she was panting heavily, whether from exertion or from rage, it was unclear.
"A-Auntie. . . what brings you here? " Jiang Zhenzhen forced a faint smile and spoke to the middle-aged woman.
It would have been better if Jiang Zhenzhen hadn't spoken at all. The moment she did, the anger on the middle-aged woman's plump face intensified even further.
"Auntie, *hmph*! Little girl, don't you dare try to cozy up to me! I am no 'auntie' of yours! Do you think calling me affectionately will make me let you off? Dream on!"
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