I motioned for Wang Jue to calm himself and explained in detail the conjectures Xiao Shu and I had discussed that morning.

After listening, he seemed to grasp it only partially. After a long silence, he said, "Simply put, you two think I've been possessed by a ghost, and that the period where I have no memory was when the ghost was in control. Furthermore, you suspect this ghost might be Miao girl Hua Jinlan, the one we've been searching for all this time without success!"

Xiao Shu and I nodded simultaneously, strongly agreeing with his summary.

Wang Jue leaned back against the sofa, took a deep breath, and asked thoughtfully, "Did Hua Gu say anything when she left?"

I took out the two thousand yuan and placed it on the coffee table. "She told me to return this to you."

"Sigh!" Wang Jue sighed, not even glancing at the stack of bills.

"The problem now is whether you will revert to that previous state. If not, everyone is happy. If you will, we must find a way to resolve this issue, otherwise, you can't return to a normal life," Xiao Shu stated.

Another silence descended, making the atmosphere a bit awkward. After all, Xiao Shu’s and my opinions couldn't represent Wang Jue himself; if he didn't agree to address the problem within him, none of us could force him.

"Xiaoyu," Wang Jue called my name after a pause in the silence, "Didn't the old woman in Miao Village say that after we rescued your sister, we were supposed to return there to help her with something?"

I smiled and replied, "That's right. I still owe her a favor that must be repaid."

"Why don't we go to Miao Village then? On one hand, we fulfill our promise, and on the other, we can ask her about my situation."

This was the plan I had considered earlier. I was about to readily agree when I suddenly recalled what Wenshu had said about Wang Jue being expelled from the hospital. I hesitated, unsure whether I should tell him right now.

"It’s settled then. Let's pack our things and drive to Miao Village now," Wang Jue said, growing slightly impatient as I remained silent.

Seeing his demeanor, I swallowed the words that had just reached my lips, thinking it better to wait until he was fully recovered before delivering such significant news, as it would surely be a major blow.

"Don't rush," Xiao Shu interjected. "I still have a few things to handle. How about we leave for Miao Village together after I’ve taken care of them?"

"What else is there?" Wang Jue asked hesitantly, seemingly unwilling to delay.

"It’s nothing major, but it's best handled now. Give me one day; can we depart tomorrow morning together?"

Wang Jue finally nodded in agreement after a long pause, though it seemed somewhat reluctant. Perhaps he was more afraid of losing consciousness again.

Then, Xiao Shu asked me to come to his place to help with something, though he didn't specify what. Since Wang Jue had agreed to leave tomorrow and I had nothing else urgent, I agreed to Xiao Shu’s request and left Wang Jue’s house with him.

As we left, I felt a slight worry about Wang Jue, but seeing that his spirits seemed fine, I dismissed the thought and walked away confidently with Xiao Shu. Little did I know that leaving was a huge mistake. However, that is a story for later.

Xiao Shu led me to a residential complex on the east side of the city. Everything within the community was orderly, with flowerbeds bursting with color in the green belts. I curiously asked him how much the monthly property management fee had to be to maintain the complex at such a high standard.

He smiled faintly and said, "Some problems aren't about money, but about people. This complex doesn't have a property management company; the owners' committee elected a few retired comrades to manage the daily affairs. The sole source of income is the rent from parking spaces."

I understood immediately, nodding in comprehension. He led me to a door on the third floor.

Before opening the door, Xiao Shu turned to face me and said mysteriously, "A bloody incident happened in this apartment a long time ago, and no one has lived here since. I discovered it hides a secret."