The recording showed only a white, humanoid shadow. Although the camera focused on the living room captured the shadow’s eyes and mouth, the lack of discernible facial features made it impossible to tell what the white figure actually looked like. However, this did not stop Feng Tian and Kuang Feifan from deducing the shadow's identity.

“It’s that kid!” Feng Tian and Kuang Feifan exclaimed almost in unison.

From the shadow’s height, it was easy to tell it was a child. The moment this thought surfaced, the two recalled that four people had died in that haunted house previously, yet they had only collected three ghosts so far.

Kuang Feifan whispered near Feng Tian’s ear, “Looks like you missed one again.”

Feng Tian shot him a fierce glare, but the video evidence confirmed that the child’s ghost was indeed wandering the house.

He Xu Fu kept looking toward them, and seeing that neither of them paid him any mind, he couldn't help but cough twice, trying to draw their attention.

Feng Tian turned to look at him, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Relax, relax. I’ll handle this one. A small oversight is inevitable sometimes.”

He glanced at the time, then added, “But, we need to wait a bit. Things here aren’t fully resolved yet.”

“Uh… so what should I do now?” He Xu Fu asked.

Feng Tian rubbed his nose. “Whatever you want. Do whatever you need to, but don’t go back home. Stay out another night.”

He Xu Fu sighed helplessly. Given the situation, that was the only option. He closed his laptop, picked it up, and left He Xu’s villa.

Kuang Feifan watched his retreating back, pursed his lips, and said to Feng Tian, “You should take less of his final payment.”

As Feng Tian had instructed, the parents of He Xu and Julie showed up at the villa gate right at noon. Hearing that the matter was resolved and their children were safe, the parents were naturally overflowing with gratitude.

Recalling the incomplete follow-up work with He Xu Fu, after collecting a substantial reward from both sets of parents, Feng Tian suggested they find a psychological counseling expert to help both He Xu and Julie recover from the trauma they had endured.

Moreover, he specifically reminded He Xu’s parents that the location of their villa had some issues, and if they wanted peace, they should make some adjustments in terms of Feng Shui.

Hearing this, He Xu’s father, Old He, immediately wanted Feng Tian to proceed right then, but Feng Tian refused.

“Mr. He, not now. After what happened last night, this house is temporarily unsuitable for living. You should find somewhere else to stay for a while—perhaps half a month—before returning. Before you come back, it’s best to hire a cleaning service. Starting at noon, have them clean your entire house, inside and out, using water in which rice has been soaked. Remember, do not miss a single corner. Then, buy a rooster—it must be a free-range one. Kill the rooster and collect the blood; do not let the blood touch the ground. Pour it into an earthen bowl and use a brush to dab a spot behind every door in the house, including the doors of furniture. Pay attention, every single one.” Feng Tian explained.

Old He hurriedly found paper and a pen to record Feng Tian’s instructions, occasionally asking, “And then? What should I do next?”

After finishing, Feng Tian took out his business card and handed it to Old He. It had been He Xu who had sought him out after hearing his reputation, but now the employer was He Xu’s father.

Of course, Feng Tian didn't care who sought him out; whoever could pay was the client.

After seeing off He Xu’s family, Feng Tian and Kuang Feifan packed their belongings—mostly Feng Tian’s—and left the villa.

Both sets of parents had intended to invite them to stay for a meal, but at this hour, the two children upstairs were still sleeping, and the house was a mess, looking like the aftermath of a battle—hardly the right time to host guests for dinner. So, they only mentioned it briefly before dropping the subject.

Outside, Kuang Feifan asked Feng Tian, “Are we going to Futian Garden now?”

Feng Tian scratched his head. “Let’s eat. I’m hungry.”

Kuang Feifan shook his head, thinking Feng Tian was utterly heartless. Unexpectedly, Feng Tian continued, “You saw it. It was just a little ghost. And from the look of it, it was just wandering around inside. I doubt it’s any kind of fierce spirit. Children turning into fierce spirits is rare, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

Kuang Feifan wasn't sure if his theory was true or false, and a trace of doubt showed on his face.

Feng Tian felt that his previous mistake had chipped away at Kuang Feifan’s admiration for him, which undermined his image as a master. To maintain his title, he couldn't help but lecture Kuang Feifan extensively about the knowledge concerning ghosts of children during their meal.

In reality, though unwilling to pass on after death, small ghosts who haven't fully matured generally lack the power to cause much commotion. According to legend, children who die before the age of eight cannot easily reincarnate; even if they enter the underworld, they can only linger by the banks of the River of Oblivion. This means if a child reaches the age of eight (meaning their actual age, or Zhou Sui), it signifies that the soul and body have largely merged, allowing the soul to smoothly enter the cycle of reincarnation upon death.

Conversely, the souls of children who die under the age of eight, even if they remain in the mortal realm, are merely due to their attachment and reluctance to leave life; their resentment is comparatively much smaller. Therefore, even if they cause trouble in the human world or if someone crosses them, they are more likely to play tricks than cause actual harm. Any minor illnesses or accidents that occur after contact with such a small ghost are usually attributed to their luck being disrupted—what is commonly called running into bad luck.

Speaking of this, Kuang Feifan suddenly interrupted Feng Tian’s flowing lecture and asked curiously, “That… isn't it said that abortions easily attract vengeful fetuses (Yuan Ying)?”

Feng Tian took the opportunity to clear his plate of leftover stir-fried preserved meat, then continued his explanation while chewing.

The resentment caused by ending an infant’s life is not absolute; otherwise, hospitals wouldn't still be so busy. However, since a life whose lifespan hadn't been fulfilled was cut short, resentment naturally exists, and it usually affects the parents' fortune and health. This is why some people experience recurring illness after an abortion or even inability to conceive later, which is a form of karmic retribution. Still, this retribution isn't always immediate or guaranteed; it requires specific analysis of the situation. If someone has a strong innate constitution (a "hard eight characters"), this karmic consequence can be mitigated to some extent.

“Wait…” Kuang Feifan interrupted him again, interjecting, “What you’re saying isn’t absolute, right? For example, in that small Western-style house I dealt with before, there was clearly a small ghost, and a very powerful one at that.”

Feng Tian gave him an exasperated look. “First, that was a special case within a special case. Second, the most common scenario for such a ghost is being utilized by someone else. You might notice in the future that wherever a vengeful infant appears, there is always an unseen puppet master behind the scenes.”

Although the explanation was brief, Kuang Feifan had to admit that what Feng Tian said held a degree of truth.

They stayed until the restaurant closed for the afternoon session before coming out, intending to head straight to Futian Garden. Just then, He Xu Fu called again. Feng Tian answered, and he immediately heard He Xu Fu shouting, almost in tears, “Hurry up and come! Someone’s dead!”

His voice was loud enough for Kuang Feifan standing nearby to hear clearly. The two exchanged a confused glance, unsure what drama this was.

But He Xu Fu couldn't even speak coherently on the phone, only repeating the demand for them to come quickly. Feng Tian hung up and called a taxi with Kuang Feifan, heading straight for Futian Garden.

Arriving on the third floor and stepping out of the elevator, both men paused. The doors to apartments 301 and 302 on either side of the hallway were wide open. Apparently hearing the elevator, He Xu Fu poked his head out from apartment 302. Seeing Feng Tian and Kuang Feifan, he rushed out, grabbed Feng Tian’s arm, and yelled, “Hurry, something’s happened!”

As he spoke, he pulled Feng Tian toward apartment 302. Kuang Feifan followed, entering 302 with them.

Once inside, both Feng Tian and Kuang Feifan were startled. A middle-aged couple sat in the living room; the woman was wiping tears constantly, while the man looked both furious and anxious. Only then did they notice He Xu Fu’s eyes were bruised and his lip was split—he had clearly been beaten up.

“What… what happened here?” Feng Tian asked curiously.

The moment the seated man saw Feng Tian, he immediately stood up, pointed at Feng Tian’s nose, and roared, “I told you there was something wrong with that cursed house! You messed with it, you should have fixed it properly! Now look, it was nothing to do with us before, but now not only is it not fixed, you’ve implicated us too…”

Feng Tian quickly raised both hands in a placating gesture, raising his voice slightly. “Whoa, take it easy, relax. Someone tell me what’s going on?”

As soon as his words landed, there was a loud crash from the inner room, as if something heavy had fallen. Everyone in the room froze.

Suddenly, the crying woman stood up sharply and cried out, “Xiao Yu…”

Without waiting for anyone else to understand, she shoved the man aside and rushed into the inner room, pushing open the slightly ajar door and peering inside.

“Ah…”

The woman immediately gasped and covered her mouth.

The others rushed over. Kuang Feifan and Feng Tian, still completely bewildered, stepped ahead and looked inside, both recoiling in shock.

The window inside was wide open. A little girl, about ten years old, stood on the windowsill, leaning on the frame, swaying precariously, looking as if she was about to jump out.

Kuang Feifan blurted out almost subconsciously, “Don’t! Calm down, talk to us! Don’t do anything rash…”

Saying that, he pushed past the still-stunned woman and rushed into the room. Feng Tian immediately followed, and both extended their hands, ready to grab the little girl’s arm.

The girl, holding the window frame, stood with her back to the door. Upon hearing Kuang Feifan’s shout, her body seemed to shudder, and then she released her grip, falling straight out of the open window.