The Last Moonsong

"What?" Wang Dali was shocked: "Let's get out of here quickly before that female ghost latches onto us."

"She won't cling to us. I'm just going back to burn some paper for her and chat for a bit. Feel free not to come if you don't want to," I said.

Wang Dali hesitated for a moment. Seeing Huang Xiaotao and I leaving, he shouted "Wait for me!" and followed along.

The grievous sound of the zither echoed in the old classroom building as we arrived on the third floor. Wang Dali gripped my arm tightly. Even Huang Xiaotao was a little spooked: "Song Yang, ghosts don't have consciousness. They won't cling to us, right?"

"Ghosts are dead people; people are ghosts that haven't died yet. We know to be polite when we see a stranger, but when we see a ghost, we scream and shout. Don't you think that would upset it? The point is, treat ghosts and people the same. If you respect it, it will respect you back," I explained plainly.

"That makes a lot of sense, but I'm still scared..." Wang Dali said grievously.

"I can't believe you. I really want to give you Jay Chou's new song," Huang Xiaotao laughed.

"What?" Wang Dali asked.

"'What Kind of Man Are You!'" Huang Xiaotao chuckled.

We arrived at Music Room 4. In the silvery moonlight, a translucent, slender figure sat at the piano, her cracked hands dancing across the black and white keys, skillfully playing "Moonlight Sonata." Her ink-black long hair swayed lightly in the breeze, beautiful yet mournful amidst the eeriness.

I was about to step forward when Wang Dali grabbed my arm tightly: "Don't interrupt her playing. Anyone who does will be killed by the piano strings."

"That's just a rumor!" I said.

"The two girls last night saw it with their own eyes..." Wang Dali mumbled hesitantly.

I pointed at the four ceiling fans and said, although I hadn't climbed up to check, I could guess how Deng Chao had created this effect.

I said, "Deng Chao bought some piano strings in varying lengths and tied them to the fan blades before switching on the fans. That's how he got the 'special effect' of strings flying around the room."

"Damn, why didn't I think of that? It's so simple!" Wang Dali said, slapping his thigh in frustration.

I told them to wait here if they were afraid, then went in. They followed me inside.

I stopped five steps away from the female ghost. Any closer and our yang energy would provoke her. I waited quietly for the piece to finish. The female ghost put her hands down and the keyboard cover automatically closed with a 'click.'

I said softly, "Xia Mo upperclassman!"

The female ghost slowly turned her face and stared at me expressionlessly. Wang Dali got so frightened he hid behind me. Even Huang Xiaotao couldn't help gasping.

Stared at by those pupil-less eyes, I was naturally a bit nervous too. I tried to stay calm and said, "You've been here for ten years already. The person you were waiting for is gone too. Hurry and reincarnate."

I took out the yellow paper, lit it, and it actually caught fire smoothly this time.

"Consider this paper money as me helping you move on!"

The yellow paper slowly burned to ash in my hand, then was swept away by a gust of yin wind. Xia Mo's shadow disappeared like mist.

"Did she really leave?" Huang Xiaotao asked.

"I guess so," I replied.

Just as I finished speaking, Wang Dali suddenly collapsed on the ground, foaming at the mouth and convulsing all over. Scared me to death! I hurriedly pressed on his philtrum and chest. Then Wang Dali's eyes rolled back and he sat straight up, stiff as a rod.

"Dali, are you okay..."

I suddenly realized his expression was unfamiliar. Huang Xiaotao and I recoiled back a step.

A sharp female voice emerged from Wang Dali's throat: "I loved him so deeply, I treated him as my everything, yet he still murdered me. Why! I've waited here so bitterly!"

Huang Xiaotao was stunned. I was naturally very nervous too. I explained, "Xia Mo... upperclassman, love isn't meant to be transactional. How much you give someone doesn't mean you'll get back the same amount."

Wang Dali suddenly threw a tantrum on the floor, kicking and stomping: "But I loved him! I loved him with all my heart and soul, yet he said he felt suffocated and miserable, and he murdered me, dismembered me, stuffed me into the piano! All I wanted was a simple, pure love. Why couldn't I get it? Why is the world so unfair to me!"

"It's precisely because you gave him too much that he felt suffocated," I persuaded.

Wang Dali glared at me fiercely, teeth grinding loudly: "Even you're saying this. You men are all scum, not one decent guy! I'll kill you all!"

I was so frightened I broke out in a cold sweat. Now that she was possessing Wang Dali, she really might kill me.

Xia Mo's obsession ran too deep to dissolve with a few words.

Just then, Huang Xiaotao slowly approached. I whispered, "Don't go over there!"

The vengeful ghost might go on a rampage now, unable to distinguish friend from foe.

Yet the ghost showed no resistance as Huang Xiaotao gradually got closer, then reached out and embraced her.

"Sis knows you've suffered a lot. You've had such a hard life since you were little. Finally there was someone who cherished you and loved you, so of course you wanted to cling on tight. But he still betrayed you - you've really had it hard, far too hard."

As Huang Xiaotao spoke, she actually shed tears.

Huang Xiaotao gently patted her back: "That scumbag is dead already. Hurry and reincarnate! Be born into a warm family, and get the familial love, friendship, and romance you deserve. A woman's got to be strong and smart. If it doesn't work out with one guy, we'll just find another. Remember, the guys before the right one are just preludes, so don't waste yourself."

Wang Dali sobbed loudly: "But I can't let him go."

Huang Xiaotao scolded, "Ptooey! He was trash, scum, completely unworthy of you! You're so smart, beautiful, gentle - the school belle. You've already suffered enough. I believe your next life will be better."

Wang Dali whimpered and cried. As she wept, her eyes rolled back and she fainted.

Huang Xiaotao gently laid Wang Dali on the ground and wiped her tears, smugly saying, "How's my persuasion skills?"

I almost spit out a mouthful of blood: "Damn, so you were fake crying!"

"How could I persuade without some tears?" She wiped away the tears. I was truly impressed by her ability to turn on the waterworks. "I'm really hopeless with women. I shouldn't have tried reasoning with her!"

"I've got lots to learn!" I conceded with chagrin.

Just then Wang Dali took a deep breath and sat up, asking in confusion, "What just happened? Why is my face wet?"

I wanted to say he got possessed, but that might scare this coward unconscious again. Huang Xiaotao and I tacitly kept silent, just saying he fainted from fear.

Wang Dali scratched his head awkwardly with an embarrassed laugh and asked, "Where's the female ghost?"

"She left. We persuaded her and she's gone to reincarnate," I said.

"Awesome, Song Yang! You've got command over both the mortal and spirit realms. You're catching up to Judge Bao!" Wang Dali gave me a thumbs up.

Huang Xiaotao glanced at me. I really couldn't bring myself to steal her credit, so in the end she didn't expose me.

Wang Dali urged us to leave quickly. I said to wait a moment, then took out two more stacks of yellow paper and burned them on the ground. They asked in puzzlement why I was still burning paper.

I said, "One stack is for Ma Bao, the other for Zhang Kai. Respect the dead! As an undertaker, I've handled their corpses before, so I owe them proper etiquette. Just a small compensation."

I waved out the window: "You two, hurry and reincarnate. I've already cleared your grievances. Nothing left to cling to."

The moonlight was like water. A wisp of wind carried the paper ash drifting and fluttering out the window.