The temperature inside the room dropped sharply, a wave of resentful Ghost Aura spreading throughout. Once the doors and windows were shut, the hall became dim and cold.
A petite black shadow appeared beneath the windows, and the black cat on the cabinet suddenly meowed twice, leaping into the shadow's arms.
The shadow stared intently at Qin Nuo, exuding a sense of resentment.
Qin Nuo glanced around and said to the middle-aged woman, "Auntie, is your daughter a bit withdrawn?"
The middle-aged woman brewed a pot of tea, poured two cups, drank one herself, and said lightly, "My daughter doesn't like the sun."
"Or rather, the sun could take her life."
Qin Nuo's expression froze slightly, and he asked, "Is she ill?"
He glanced at the shadow. The reason he couldn't see her clearly was because she was always shrouded in a layer of resentful black aura, with only her eyes piercing through it.
The girl's eyes lacked vitality, staring at people as if she were dead.
"A rare photodermatosis. When exposed to slightly stronger light, her skin becomes sensitive and inflamed. Over time, without proper treatment, it could even lead to breathing difficulties, blindness, and more.""So, my daughter always needs to nebulize with these medical devices and medications, or the consequences would be unimaginable."
The middle-aged woman blew on her tea, took a sip, and placed the ceramic cup back on the table.
"This illness made her withdrawn. All her activities are confined to this house, and she's never even stepped outside. She has no friends, only knows simple emotional expressions, and her mind is as pure as a three-year-old child."
Qin Nuo glanced over again. Perhaps due to the lack of light, the Ghost Aura surrounding the girl gradually dissipated, revealing a bit of her skin.
It looked like skin severely burned and scabbed over for a long time, with some flesh tinged with blood-red. Just a glimpse was enough to send chills down one's spine, evoking the horror of her full appearance.
Qin Nuo's eye twitched, and he abruptly looked away. The girl's gaze remained fixed on him, never shifting.
The middle-aged woman took out a photo and pushed it in front of Qin Nuo.
It was a picture of the middle-aged woman and her daughter. The girl in the photo had twin ponytails, with pale skin showing visible veins, and a slight smile on her small face, though her eyes lacked wisdom.
It was clear that despite the unfair fate her daughter faced, the mother and daughter hadn't given up on life. Instead, they faced it optimistically, as shown by the careful dressing of her daughter and the doting smile.
"Isn't she beautiful?" the middle-aged woman asked.
"Your sister is very cute," Qin Nuo nodded.
"Can you imagine her current state?"
Qin Nuo was speechless.
"I dress up every day, wearing bright clothes and heavy makeup, not because of what outsiders think is dirty, but because I want to wear them for my daughter."
"I used to be a dance teacher. My daughter, alone at home, always looked forward to my glamorous return. Only then would she show a bit of a smile."
"Though rare, it's enough for me. Fate is unfair, but at least it gave me a beloved daughter."
The middle-aged woman spoke softly, lost in the sight of the pale yellow tea in her cup.
Qin Nuo knew some things couldn't be avoided. A tragedy could destroy a person, a family. He spoke directly, "Did she end up like this because of that scum?"
The middle-aged woman looked up at Qin Nuo, her gaze frightening. "That day, the dance studio's schedule was tight. I locked the doors and windows, leaving my daughter to stay quietly at home. She loved peace. After I left, she'd always take out books and learn word by word. She was destined not to be like other children her age but tried hard to keep up."
"After I left, your father, Qin Bei, lingered at my doorstep. He looked terrible but seemed crazy. After a while, he pried open a window in the backyard and entered the house."
"In the hall, he rummaged through everything, found some money, but it wasn't enough for him, so he headed upstairs."
"My daughter, hearing the noise, thought I was back, happily ran out of her room, only to see a terrifying stranger. She was scared and ran back to her room to hide."
"Your father heard the noise, entered the room, and found my daughter in the corner of the wardrobe."
"My daughter hid in the corner, not daring to make a sound or resist. Your father, worried about attracting neighbors, tied her up and threw her on the bed. While searching, he pulled aside a curtain, and the sunlight shone directly on my daughter. It was noon, the sun blazing..."
"Your father saw my daughter's condition but ignored it. Even when he saw her skin inflaming and burning, he found some machines in the cabinet and took them all."
"After work, I saw this through my phone's surveillance and rushed home desperately. My daughter had already fainted, her skin all burned, the worst being her face."
"I desperately searched for medicine, but your father had smashed it all. The crucial medical equipment was taken by him, thinking it valuable."
"I covered her with a black cloth and rushed to the village hospital. On the way, she said she couldn't breathe, said many things, wanted to see me in those beautiful clothes, eat the meals I cooked. By the time we reached the hospital, she was silent..."
Tears glistened in the middle-aged woman's eyes, recalling these events was like a dagger piercing deep into her heart.
"Afterward, she became like this."
"Though my daughter continues to accompany me in another form, whenever she thinks of your father still free, she becomes very pained."
"Her eyes lack spirit, no longer optimistic about life, filled only with revenge and resentment."
"He clearly saw my daughter's suffering, chose to ignore it, knowing those devices were her lifeline, yet chose to take them."
"A living, breathing life, in his eyes, was worth less than a few moments of pleasure."
"I understand, no matter what I do, my daughter can't return to how she was. All I can do is eliminate the root of her hatred."
The middle-aged woman's words were very straightforward.
As the son of that scum father, Qin Nuo now felt embarrassed for Qin Feng.
Screech!!
Over there, the resentful Ghost Aura of hatred was spreading.
As it passed through the coffee table and floor, they visibly turned black and cracked.
A strong chill spread through the pores on his back, stimulating his spinal nerves.
The little girl tilted her head, her bloodshot eyes filled with resentment and a clear intent to kill.
Qin Nuo saw this and secretly clenched something in his hand.
"My daughter says you have two choices," the middle-aged woman spoke.
"You or your father, someone has to bear it, right?"
Qin Nuo was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Why should I pay for an irredeemable scum?"
Despite saying this, the malice continued to increase, and the little girl raised her hand, reaching toward Qin Nuo.
Then a finger touched Qin Nuo's forehead. Qin Nuo said nothing, looking at the middle-aged woman.
The middle-aged woman said, "Your time is running out. The resentment on my daughter is about to take over her reason. You know what that means."
Qin Nuo stood up, putting some distance between himself and the shadow, and smiled, "I understand. If there's nothing else, let's end today's visit here."
"Next time, I'll bring my father to properly visit Auntie and my sister. If you don't eat the fruit on the table, put it in the fridge, or it'll spoil."
With that, Qin Nuo walked toward the door, but it remained tightly closed.
"How about opening the door?" Qin Nuo looked back at the shadow, and in the blink of an eye, the little girl was gone. The resentful Ghost Aura in the room dissipated, and the tightly shut doors and windows suddenly opened, letting bright light flood back in.
"Little one, Auntie likes you very much. At least you live openly, with clear hatred, unlike your father."
"When you see your father, tell him, some things taken require interest. I've kept track of all these years of interest."
Qin Nuo just nodded slightly and left the house.
He walked around the wall and returned home, pouring himself a glass of water and gulping it down.
At that moment, he heard a familiar sound again.
"Ding! Congratulations, Player, for triggering a role-playing task. Task details: Born into such a difficult and tragic family, I've had enough of the malicious glances from neighbors. I've never had a dirty mind, but because of a dirty father, they always categorize me as one of them. Like father, like son?"
"Why should I pay for the scum's evil deeds? If I could solve the root cause, I'd even be willing to chop that scum into pieces and deliver them to the neighbors' doorsteps. Yes, I'd be happy to do so!"
"Ding! Neighbors should live in harmony. According to the role's wishes, the Player must resolve the mother-daughter neighbor's grievances within two days!"
Placing the glass back on the table, Qin Nuo leaned against the sofa, looking exhausted.
"How will you resolve it?" the Blood-Eyed Ghost asked.
"There will be a way. Before that, Li Qianqian should be arriving soon."
"Let's visit Yanan's house first, then come back to resolve the neighbor's issue," Qin Nuo said, rubbing his temples.
Due to the limited time left in the instance, he felt an immense pressure both in playing his role and on the main storyline.
On the main storyline, Qin Nuo had uncovered the rough outline, with various points of suspicion emerging. Now, he just needed to unveil the layers of fog one by one.
"That little girl is not to be trifled with. Her resentment is deep, and she can vaguely sense my presence," the Blood-Eyed Ghost said.
"The purer the child, the deeper the resentment once they turn dark," Qin Nuo replied, just like Meng. Wasn't she like this at the beginning?
Knock, knock.
A knock on the door came, and Qin Nuo got up to open it.
Naturally, it was Li Qianqian outside the door. She had changed into clean clothes and tidied her hair.
"Can we set off now?" Li Qianqian asked.
Qin Nuo checked the time and nodded, "Almost. Come in and sit for a while."
Li Qianqian didn't enter but instead sniffed around Qin Nuo, curiously asking, "Why do you smell like perfume? And it's so strong."