Chapter Nine: The Grudge of Granny Ghost

In the ancient and remote town of Qingping, a terrifying legend about "Ghost Granny" has circulated for generations. It is said that deep within the desolate potter's field outside the town stands an abandoned old mansion where Ghost Granny dwells. On every full moon, she wanders out, seeking those who harbor ill intentions or those who accidentally trespass onto her forbidden grounds, dragging them into an abyss of endless darkness from which they never return.

In the town lived a group of fearless young people. Their leader, A-Yong, was naturally restless and drawn to novel, thrilling experiences. One day, while drinking at the town’s old tavern, A-Yong heard a traveler recount a tale. With eyes glazed by drink, the traveler claimed he had once lost his way near the potter's field and caught a glimpse of eerie lights flickering in that ancient mansion, accompanied by the faint, ghostly sounds of a child crying and sinister laughter. Hearing this, A-Yong’s curiosity was ignited. Believing this to be a perfect opportunity to prove his courage, he decided to lead his companions to the mansion on the night of the full moon to see for themselves.

Accompanying A-Yong were A-Qiang, A-Fu, and Xiao-Mei. A-Qiang, brawny and strong, was A-Yong’s right-hand man; A-Fu was timid but joined out of fear of being looked down upon; Xiao-Mei was the girl A-Yong admired, and the desire to impress her fueled his enthusiasm.

Finally, the night of the full moon arrived. Moonlight bathed the ground like a layer of silver frost, yet it carried a biting chill. Equipped with simple lights and protective charms, the group cautiously made their way toward the potter's field. Along the way, the wind rustled through the trees, sounding as though countless eyes were watching them from the darkness.

As they approached the mansion, a foul, putrid stench assailed them. The structure stood amidst a tangle of weeds, its dilapidated doors and windows appearing particularly ominous in the moonlight. A-Yong took a deep breath and led the way inside. The main hall was thick with dust, and blurred, indecipherable portraits hung on the walls, as if whispering stories of the past.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept through, causing the candlelight to flicker wildly. Terrified, A-Fu grabbed A-Qiang’s arm and stammered, "A-Yong, we should turn back. This place is too scary." A-Yong glared at him and retorted, "What are you afraid of? We haven't even found Ghost Granny yet; it would be a laughingstock to go back now."

They ventured deeper into the mansion until they reached a courtyard. In the center stood an ancient well from which a chilling mist drifted. A-Yong stepped forward and peered into the well, but he could see nothing; he only felt a surge of cold rising from the depths. At that moment, they heard faint, ghostly laughter—the sound of a child echoing through the silent mansion, chilling them to the bone.

Xiao-Mei leaned against A-Yong in terror. "A-Yong, I’m afraid." He patted her shoulder to comfort her, though his own heart had begun to falter.

Following the sound of the laughter, they arrived before a side room. The door was ajar, and A-Yong pushed it open. The room contained decrepit furniture, and in the corner stood a dusty vanity with dark red stains on the mirror. As A-Yong stepped closer to wipe away the dust, a twisted face suddenly appeared in the glass—hollow eyes, a mouth stretched to the ears, revealing black, rotten teeth. It was the legendary Ghost Granny.

She let out a piercing shriek and lunged at them with withered hands. The group turned and fled in panic, only to discover that the path they had taken was now shrouded in a black mist, making it impossible to see. In the chaos, A-Fu tripped, and Ghost Granny descended upon him. He struggled and screamed for help, but his voice was soon silenced, leaving only a pool of blood on the floor.

A-Yong, A-Qiang, and Xiao-Mei fled desperately into another room, barricading the door with furniture. Gasping for air, they were still in shock. A-Qiang said remorsefully, "It’s all my fault; I shouldn't have followed you to this godforsaken place." A-Yong gritted his teeth and replied, "We cannot just sit here and wait for death. We must find a way out."

Just then, they heard Ghost Granny’s sinister voice outside: "You cannot escape; you shall all become my sacrifices..." This was followed by the grating sound of fingernails dragging across the door panels. Xiao-Mei began to cry, and A-Yong held her tight, trying to steady her.

Suddenly, A-Yong noticed a hidden compartment in the wall. He hurried over, opened it, and found a tattered diary. He didn't hesitate to start reading. The diary belonged to a maid who had once lived there, revealing that Ghost Granny had been a woman filled with deep resentment, having died in misery after being betrayed and persecuted by her own kin. Her soul, unable to find peace, haunted the mansion, filled with hatred for any who trespassed.

As A-Yong continued reading, he discovered a possible way to deal with her. The diary mentioned that the woman’s greatest love in life was her granddaughter, who possessed a jade pendant said to have magical powers capable of soothing the grandmother's vengeful spirit. The pendant was buried in the garden behind the mansion.

A-Yong decided to take the risk. Leaving A-Qiang and Xiao-Mei in the room, he grabbed a shovel and slipped out through a window toward the garden. The garden was overgrown and filled with an eerie atmosphere. Searching frantically, he finally found loose soil beneath a withered tree. He dug, and sure enough, discovered the jade pendant.

The pendant emitted a soft glow, and A-Yong felt a glimmer of hope. He rushed back to the room, only to find A-Qiang and Xiao-Mei cornered by Ghost Granny. Without hesitation, A-Yong charged forward, holding the pendant high. "Ghost Granny, look at this! It’s your granddaughter’s pendant. Don't you want her to rest in peace?"

Ghost Granny paused at the sight of the jade, a flicker of confusion and pain crossing her eyes. A-Yong seized the moment: "You have suffered enough; it is time to let go of your hatred. Your granddaughter would not want to see you acting this way." Her expression twisted as if she were struggling internally.

Suddenly, she let out a mournful howl and vanished into the depths of the house. Believing the pendant had subdued her, the group breathed a sigh of relief. However, they did not realize this was only a temporary calm.

When they stepped out of the mansion to return to Qingping, they found the entire potter's field swallowed by thick fog, and all paths home were gone. A-Yong realized the situation was not so simple. They wandered in the mist for hours, exhausted and on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Just as they were losing all hope, A-Yong saw a blurred figure ahead. Thinking it was rescuers, he ran toward it, only to realize, as the figure became clear, that it was Ghost Granny. Her face was more hideous than before. She sneered, "You think you can escape so easily? I will not let you leave."

They backed away, but there was nowhere to run. Ghost Granny extended her hands, and black mist surged forth, wrapping tightly around them. A-Yong felt a massive force pulling at him, as if his soul were being ripped from his body.

In this dire moment, A-Yong recalled another detail from the diary: while Ghost Granny’s resentment was powerful, she had a weakness—she feared the sunlight. Looking up, he saw the moon beginning to set; dawn was approaching.

"Hold on!" A-Yong shouted to his friends. "Daybreak is coming! She fears the sunlight!" A-Qiang and Xiao-Mei rallied their spirits, putting up a final struggle against her power.

Finally, a sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon, and the first rays of sunlight pierced the clouds, striking the potter's field. Ghost Granny let out a pained shriek, released her grip, and turned to flee toward the mansion. Under the brilliance of the sun, her form gradually dissolved into a cloud of black smoke.

The group collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted, knowing they had narrowly escaped death. They returned to Qingping by midday. After they shared their horrific experience, no one in the town ever dared to approach the potter's field or the mansion again. The legend of Ghost Granny became even more deeply ingrained, serving as an eternal taboo for the town.

However, the shadow of the event never truly left them. They were frequently haunted by dreams of her hideous face and piercing cries, and every night became an agonizing ordeal. Furthermore, they noticed strange occurrences following their return—faint sounds of children crying at midnight, or fleeting, inexplicable shadows darting through their rooms.

A-Yong began to suspect that the curse had not been broken, or that they had violated some other taboo in the mansion. He set out to find answers, digging into more stories and legends about the property.

In a quiet corner of town, he found an old man who had once worked at the mansion. The man, well into his seventies, looked at him with eyes filled with fear and weariness. When A-Yong asked about the mansion, the old man hesitated for a long time before speaking.

He explained that the truth was far more complex than they had imagined. The granddaughter had not died of natural causes but had been murdered by a local tyrant. When the grandmother sought justice, she was humiliated and beaten by the man. In her desperation, she turned to extreme measures for vengeance.

After her death, her resentment was directed not only at trespassers but at the entire town of Qingping. In her eyes, the townspeople were cold and indifferent, as no one had stood up to seek justice for her granddaughter. Thus, even though the pendant had temporarily soothed her, her hatred remained unquenched.

A-Yong felt a heavy burden. He realized that to truly lift the curse, justice had to be served for the granddaughter, allowing her soul to find peace. He tracked down the descendants of that tyrant, who lived in a village outside the town, and brought A-Qiang and Xiao-Mei with him.

They arrived at a dilapidated courtyard where the descendant lived. A-Yong explained the history and their purpose. The man turned pale, admitting he had heard rumors of his ancestor's sins but never knew how to make amends.

A-Yong replied, "The only way is to go to the mansion and repent before the soul of her granddaughter, begging for forgiveness." The man eventually agreed.

They returned to the mansion once more. This time, devoid of their previous fear and curiosity, they were driven by a single conviction: to break the curse and restore peace.

Inside the room where the granddaughter had lived, the descendant knelt, sincerely repenting for his ancestor’s crimes. Suddenly, a soft breeze swept through the room, and a gentle light shimmered in the corner. Within the glow, the silhouette of a young girl seemed to appear, smiling.

A-Yong knew the soul was responding. He placed the jade pendant before the light and said, "We have sought justice for you. Please let go of your hatred and find peace."

The girl’s silhouette nodded, and the light slowly faded. Simultaneously, the oppressive, eerie atmosphere of the mansion dissipated, and everything returned to tranquility.

From that day on, no further supernatural events related to Ghost Granny occurred in Qingping. A-Yong and his friends finally emerged from their nightmare. They understood that good and evil would eventually be requited, and only by upholding justice and kindness could one truly dispel the darkness within. The legend of Ghost Granny became a part of the town's history, a constant reminder to cherish the peace they held and to never let hatred and resentment cloud their vision.