Fifty-eight: So Close

At first, I thought Xu Buhuo was going to cause trouble for Old Master Qin.

But when I saw Old Master Qin smile at Xu Buhuo, I realized I was wrong.

It was unimaginable that Xu Buhuo had connections with Old Master Qin behind the scenes.

If I hadn’t witnessed this scene myself, I would never have believed it. Instinctively, I pinched my thigh—painful, confirming I wasn’t dreaming.

Watching the two of them converse face-to-face, though I couldn’t hear their words, their expressions made them seem like old friends, catching up after a long absence, discussing recent trivialities. Later, Old Master Qin laughed heartily, and from the half-visible side of Xu Buhuo’s face, I sensed he was laughing too.

Everything that had happened before made me feel Xu Buhuo didn’t know Old Master Qin. It was under his guidance that I learned Old Master Qin had faked his death and understood who was manipulating things from behind.

Now, I couldn’t fathom why, if Xu Buhuo and Old Master Qin were enemies, they could interact so freely.

Unless everything was a facade by Xu Buhuo.

From beginning to end, Xu Buhuo and Old Master Qin knew each other, and they were partners. Their behavior in front of me was a deliberate act, a performance for my benefit.

Is that truly the case?

I didn’t know. Recalling all that Xu Buhuo had done recently, I couldn’t help but want to rush forward and confront him, see what answer he would give. But in the end, I restrained myself.

After some time, Old Master Qin left, and Xu Buhuo turned and walked away as well. I returned to the ancestral graveyard, slumped beside my grandmother’s tomb, my mind tangled and confused, unsure what to do.

After Old Master Qin’s death, once I confirmed Xu Buhuo’s identity, I relied on him for everything, believing he could help me handle the situation. When I discovered Old Master Qin was the mastermind lurking in the shadows, I still hoped that with Xu Buhuo’s help, we could defeat him.

But now, I understood, just as Xu Buhuo had once said about me—I was still too young, too easily deceived by appearances, too quick to trust someone.

Thinking of the so-called treasure, I realized their purpose was precisely that: the treasure. Old Master Qin played the villain in the shadows, while Xu Buhuo played the hero at my side.

Whether I handed over the bronze key or not, their goal would still be achieved.

Only now did I understand why grandmother wrote such a rambling line in her book collection: Sometimes, people are more terrifying than ghosts.

Xu Buhuo and Old Master Qin are truly more frightening than ghosts.

Coming to my senses, I remembered how I almost told Xu Buhuo about grandmother’s passing. A shiver of fear ran through me, realizing that if I had told him, I might have truly doomed her.

After all, grandmother was in a special condition; if the ten oil lamps went out, she might never wake again.

Despite telling myself repeatedly that everything was real, the scene I had just witnessed was still hard to accept. How I wished it was a dream, and Xu Buhuo was still the good man I believed him to be.

But facts are facts.

At the door, thinking Xu Buhuo was inside, I didn’t even want to enter, but I had no choice, and I had to pretend to know nothing at all.

I dared not tear off Xu Buhuo’s mask, knowing that would be disastrous. In this situation, if anyone around me got hurt, he would at least act to save them to maintain my trust.

“What’s wrong?”

As soon as I entered the room, Stone suddenly asked me, as if he could see I was troubled. I forced a smile, saying nothing was wrong.

Looking at Xu Buhuo basking in the sun in the courtyard, my mind was in turmoil. Thinking over what I’d learned, I couldn’t understand—if he was a fraud, how could I explain the results from West Hill Village? Was everything Xu Yong told me a lie?

If he was a fraud, why did grandmother leave a note telling me to ask Mr. Xu to handle her affairs?

---

In my hesitation, I found Cao Guangshan and pulled him outside.

“Ziwu, what are you up to? Why talk outside?” Cao Guangshan looked at me, puzzled, but his instincts told him I had something secret to discuss.

I said, “There’s something I need your help to investigate.”

“Speak.”

I glanced around; seeing no one nearby, I leaned in and quietly told him everything.

“Isn’t everything fine? Why investigate?”

“I hope so too, but I just saw something that needs verifying.”

Cao Guangshan thought for a few seconds, nodded, and said, “Don’t worry, leave it to me. I’ll be back before dark.”

He left, saying there was something at the station, heading off to investigate Xu Buhuo.

“Ziwu, come here.” Xu Buhuo suddenly called me. I walked over, and he tilted his eyes, scanning me twice, asking, “Are you alright? You look troubled.”

My heart couldn’t help but tense. I forced myself to stay calm and said feebly, “You know what’s been happening these days—how could I be in a good mood?”

Xu Buhuo didn’t press further, instead asking, “I heard you’ve searched everywhere but haven’t found the bronze key related to the treasure. Do you think your grandmother might have a secret room? Maybe it’s hidden there?”

“No way. If there was a secret room, I’d know.”

I spoke lightly, but my legs trembled so much I nearly collapsed. I hadn’t expected Xu Buhuo to call me over to ask about hidden rooms. I silently prayed he wouldn’t keep investigating.

They’re all the same kind—Old Master Qin missed the secret formations in the old house, but Xu Buhuo, who specializes in occult studies, might just find them. He’d mentioned before that he studied metaphysics, and secret formations fall under that.

“Think carefully. Was there anything odd in the old house? Maybe your grandmother hid the entrance.”

I said nothing, turning away and pretending to ponder quietly.

At that moment, my scalp tingled, sweat poured from my palms, burning my wound. From Xu Buhuo’s words, I felt he already suspected the old house contained secret formations, and I struggled to respond.

Not knowing his true identity, discovering a hidden room wouldn’t matter much. But now, knowing his real purpose, I realized I could never let him find it.

“You know I’m not much use. Why don’t you go take a look?”

Having reached this point, I didn’t know what else to say. I gambled, hoping grandmother’s tricks were clever enough.

“Alright, while it’s still daylight, let’s check it out.”

Xu Buhuo went inside to fetch a cloth bag, and I rushed to my room, slipping the spring knife from under my pillow into my pocket.

I’d already decided in my heart: if Xu Buhuo couldn’t find the entrance, things would continue as they were; but if he did, I’d have to deal with him.

To solve everything happening now, grandmother must not come to harm. I told myself that, even if it meant murder, I had to protect her.

On the way, Xu Buhuo chatted as usual. I tried, but failed, to act as if nothing was wrong, causing him to glance at me several times, surprised, asking if something was bothering me and telling me to speak plainly.

---

Arriving at the old house, Xu Buhuo took out a compass and went in. I followed close, my hand in my pocket, flicking the spring knife open, ready to act.

Guided by the compass, Xu Buhuo circled the old house. My body was taut as a spring, scalp prickling, ears filled with the pounding of my heart.

Eventually, Xu Buhuo returned to the main room, pacing back and forth. I followed, watching as he stopped at the entrance to the hidden chamber.

Had he found it?

I was shaking all over.

“Strange—feels like something’s here, but nothing at all.”

Just as I was about to pull the knife from my pocket, Xu Buhuo suddenly put down the compass, frowning and scanning the room, then left for the courtyard to continue observing.

The cool evaporation of sweat left me feeling as if I’d just walked through the gates of hell.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I deliberately said, “Maybe there’s no hidden room. Otherwise, after all these years, I’d have found it.”

Xu Buhuo said nothing, narrowing his eyes at the old house, now so changed. After a while, he said, “That’s possible. If there was a hidden room, after so many visits, I’d have discovered it.”

After a bit more searching, he gave up. As I followed him out, I felt utterly weak, knowing how close I’d come to stabbing him.

Though I’d determined he was a villain, until grandmother woke, I felt he was still useful.

Besides, murder seems simple in thought, but when the moment comes, it’s far harder than imagined.

Relieved, I returned to the new house, went to my room, and scrubbed my face hard with both hands.

Thinking over what had happened in the old house, I couldn’t help but wonder—was it a coincidence that Xu Buhuo suddenly muttered aloud? Or did he sense I was about to strike, and deliberately pretended not to find anything?

Otherwise, why did he linger at the hidden chamber’s entrance?

I couldn’t be sure. I silently prayed it was the former; if it was the latter, things would be complicated.

To be safe, I kept the spring knife in my pocket.

At dinner, I asked mother if she’d ever seen a bronze key near grandmother. Mother said she didn’t know. The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is always delicate; she rarely interacted with grandmother.

Thinking back, it made sense. Unless necessary, mother never visited the old house.

After tonight, only one day remained.

My heart grew restless again.

After dinner, I waited at the gate, thinking things through and waiting for Cao Guangshan, who had promised to return before dark. But as nine o’clock passed with no sign of him, I grew uneasy.

Anxiety gnawed at me, an inexplicable fear that something had happened to Cao Guangshan.

Just as I hesitated about calling him, the village secretary suddenly rushed into the yard, breathlessly saying, “Ziwu, hurry—Officer Cao who came before has run into trouble.”