[MXTX] Three Times the Love

Chapter 39 - Not Guests, Please See Yourselves Out

A wisp of incense smoke arose.

The young man standing before the altar had ghastly features. His cheekbones were sunken, and dark circles had laid unkempt under his bloodshot eyes. The young man's lips were dry and cracked, opening up to greet, "Each guest... should... only take... one incense... stick."

It was clear that he was a ghost.

"Many thanks." Wei Wuxian clasped his hands and bowed.

The three couples each took one incense stick. They watched the young ghost step to the side, allowing them to access to the altar better.

Wei Wuxian didn't know what to pray for. He just bowed his head, knelt down, then pretended to pray and worship the painting of fortune. The remaining three couples followed his lead, having no wishes on their minds.

After some time, they simultaneously raised their heads.

"Place your... sticks on the... censer." The young ghost melancholically said.

The three couples did as they were told to do. After inserting their incense sticks on the censer, they stepped backwards. They were unsure of how to start a conversation...

"What's this good sir's name?" Wei Wuxian asked.

The young ghost didn't respond.

"Good sir?" Wei Wuxian clasped his hands. "Can this lowly one ask for your name?"

Finally, the young ghost opened his mouth. "I am not... a... good sir."

Wei Wuxian's eyebrows lifted up in surprise. He'd never seen such a well-mannered ghost before! "Then... How should I address this sir?"

"...Ping Hai." The young ghost was fluent in saying his own name.

Lan Zhan began to ask the questions. "Do you remember any occurrences of blue fire? Or perhaps, do you find the name 'Yi Ran' familiar?"

Upon hearing the name 'Yi Ran', Ping Hai had imperceptibly stiffened.

"Yi... R-Ran." Ping Hai had stammered the name, as if trying to confirm if it was familiar or not. "Y-Yi Ran... Yi Ran... Yi Ran Yi Ran Yi Ran Yi Ran!"

Out of nowhere, Ping Hai's voice had thickened with anger. "Yi Ran!" He gnashed his teeth. The young ghost's once tranquil expression had darkened into one of absolute fury. "I know Yi Ran... I know her! Yi Ran! I know Yi Ran!" He sounded like he'd descended into madness.

Ping Hai's small frame of body had spasmed, as if remembering all of his anguish memories. "Yi Ran... Yi Ran... Yi Ran... Yi Ran...!"

"Understood... understood..." Shen Qingqiu was at a loss of how to deal with such a ghost. "We understand now. But... do you have any recognition of blue fire?"

Ping Hai shook his shivering ghost body. "I die... from Yi... Ran... she is mad... she has... fire...  burn down village... hurt us... fire hurts... fire is hot... fire is blue..."

The three couples looked at one another. So it turned out that Yi Ran used to be in Square Town. Perhaps she was a visitor or an original villager as well. As expected, she was the cause to the village's fire. It was because of her fire did Square Town get burned down and incinerated... then all the original villagers died. After the incident, new villagers rebuilt Square Town.

"Do you remember what exactly happened?" Lan Zhan asked.

Ping Hai's body had shuddered even more. Veins popped out from his neck, squirming around in a frenzy. "I don't... Ping Hai... don't want... to remem...ber..."