The black umbrella drifted into the corridor before halting.
"What's wrong, Little Umbrella?"
Puzzled, Lu Fei approached and was surprised to find the aged camphorwood chest placed in the hallway.
Its lid stood slightly ajar as the white water sleeves swiftly withdrew inside.
"This wasn't here when we went upstairs earlier. Could someone have placed it deliberately?"
Though suspicious, Lu Fei eventually sealed the chest shut after brief consideration, affixed an anti-ghost talisman, and carried it back to the rental unit.
Wang Xiaoqiang continued his agonized wailing on the shattered bed.
"Enough, enough! The costume's back in the box! Stop howling, sounds even worse than a pig being slaughtered!" Hu Zi shouted, covering his ears.
Tonight's truly been torture for the ears.
"It's contained?"
Hearing these words, Wang Xiaoqiang managed to divert a sliver of attention from his excruciating pain.
The room's lighting returned to normal.
Lu Fei blew out the oil lamp and placed the camphorwood box on the computer desk.
"You've escaped calamity tonight, but to truly survive, you must return this opera costume!"
"Return it? The troupe leader would break my hands..."
Wang Xiaoqiang pleaded through tears.
"Manager Lu, your shop specializes in collecting sinister objects! Just take this costume, I won't even ask for payment!"
"Sinisterium Pawnshop never accepts stolen goods! Tonight I'm only saving you for Hu Zi's sake! To completely rid yourself of this cursed object, it must be returned to its rightful owner." Lu Fei gave him a calm glance.
"Hear that? We're giving you this chance. Whether you want to live depends on you!" Hu Zi puffed out his chest with newfound dignity.
"I... I'll return it! I'll return it!" Wang Xiaoqiang wailed, shrinking as he looked at Hu Zi. "Brother Hu, could you come with me? I'm afraid the troupe leader might really..."
"Where was that fear when you stole it?" Hu Zi rolled his eyes.
"Don't mock me, Brother Hu! I've truly learned my lesson! I'll be an honest man from now on, okay?"
Wang Xiaoqiang burst into tears again.
His remorse was genuine, not feigned.
Had he known migrant work would lead to this, he'd have stayed farming in the countryside - at least that life was simple and stable.
"Boss, should we go?" Seeing his sincere repentance, Hu Zi softened and turned to Lu Fei.
"We go. How else would we collect that costume?" Lu Fei smiled faintly.
Since the evil entity had been encountered, it couldn't be let off easily.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so idle as to specially come here to save people.
"Thank you Boss Lu, thank you Brother Hu! You're my reborn parents. If Wang Xiaoqiang doesn't turn over a new leaf, I... I'd be lower than a dog!"
Wang Xiaoqiang was so grateful he nearly kowtowed to them.
"Woof?"
Only Little Black showed great dissatisfaction, feeling personally insulted.
After all this commotion, it was getting late.
The two simply rested in the rental room.
Daybreak arrived.
They went with Wang Xiaoqiang to return the chest at first light.
The opera troupe didn't have proper offices. Manager Yan had rented a nearby warehouse and made minimal renovations.
The spacious area accommodated prop storage and rehearsals without issues.
Manager Yan himself lived inside.
En route, Wang Xiaoqiang specially bought two packs of cigarettes and a bag of cheap fruits to show remorse.
"Manager?"
The warehouse door stood ajar.
Usually at this hour, many would be practicing vocal exercises and training.
But today, the warehouse felt eerily quiet and deserted.
"Manager, are you here?"
Wang Xiaoqiang cautiously entered to find the space empty. Camphorwood chests lay scattered everywhere, their costumes gone - as if looted.
"What's going on here? Were you robbed?!"
Hu Zi exclaimed in surprise.
Lu Fei slightly furrowed his brows but said nothing.
"Boss Lu,Brother Hu,please wait a moment. I'll go check upstairs."
Wang Xiaoqiang stepped onto the creaking stairs,ascending to the makeshift second floor where Troupe Leader Yan's room was located.
He pushed open the door.
Troupe Leader Yan was leaning out of the window,his upper body dangerously extended outside.
"Leader! What are you doing? Don't do anything rash!"
Wang Xiaoqiang rushed forward in panic,wrapping his arms around Troupe Leader Yan's waist as he desperately dragged him back inside.
"Wang Xiaoqiang! Let go!"
With surprising strength,Troupe Leader Yan broke free from Wang's grasp and glared at him angrily.
"Leader,you mustn't jump..." Wang Xiaoqiang scratched his head awkwardly.
"Jump? My laundry fell outside. I was just retrieving it. Besides,do you think second floor is high enough to kill anyone?" Troupe Leader Yan shot him a disappointed look. "Didn't you run away? Why come back?"
"I... I..."
Wang Xiaoqiang thrust cigarettes and fruits into the leader's hands before thudding to his knees.
"Leader! I was wrong! I shouldn't have stolen from the troupe!"
Troupe Leader Yan's face immediately darkened.
"What did you take?"
"Th-that white opera costume... I didn't mean to,I was just desperate for money... Leader,I've returned it. Please forgive me."
Wang Xiaoqiang bowed his head in genuine remorse.
Master Yan's gaze was complex, lingering over Wang Xiaoqiang's head for a long time.
After a long while, he let out a deep, sorrowful sigh.
"The costume?"
"Downstairs, Mr. Lu and my friend are holding it. Mr. Lu seems very interested in that costume, Master. If we could sell it to him, maybe we could recoup some losses for the troupe." Wang Xiaoqiang spoke earnestly.
"How can we sell it? That costume doesn't even belong to our troupe."
Master Yan shook his head bitterly.
"Can't return it, can't sell it... Karmic debt, all karmic debt!"
"Master, Mr. Lu is incredibly capable—he can even deal with ghosts. He saved my life last night. What if he has a solution?" Wang Xiaoqiang pressed.
"What could he possibly do..."
"He's the owner of Sinisterium Pawnshop. I've heard that pawnshop is famous. Shouldn't we at least try?"
"Sinisterium Pawnshop?"
Master Yan hesitated for a moment.
"Fine. At this point, we might as well try desperate measures."
He went downstairs with Wang Xiaoqiang.
"Mr. Lu, my apologies for the discourtesy. The troupe has encountered some... complications, so I couldn't come down to greet you."
"Master Yan, what happened here? Was there a robbery?" Lu Fei asked curiously.
"I couldn't pay the wages, so I told everyone to take whatever valuables they could find. For the Spring Troupe to come to this... I, Yan, have failed our founding ancestors!" Master Yan's bitter laugh carried profound desolation.
Unsure how to console him, Lu Fei cut to the chase and signaled Hu Zi to return the camphorwood box.
"Master Yan, Wang Xiaoqiang must have explained the situation with the costume. While his theft was wrong, the costume itself is clearly cursed—likely a malevolent artifact. Could you share its background?"
"This costume was lent to the Spring Troupe by Grandmother Liu."
Master Yan touched the ancient box and invited Lu Fei upstairs to talk.
"Grandma Liu was the birthday star that night and also a once-renowned actress who had caused a sensation in the region."
"She specialized in ghost operas, and her portrayals of female ghosts were unmatched."