I looked at the dull brown copper coin in the middle-aged man's hand.
And at his words.
I appeared particularly shocked, but before I could speak.
The middle-aged man extended his hand further:
"What are you staring at? Take it."
"Oh, okay!"
I subconsciously agreed and took the copper coin.
Suddenly someone approached me, and with one sentence, hit upon the hidden worry I'd been nursing for a month. I was both surprised and hesitant.
The copper coin was a bit larger than a regular coin.
And it was old, the characters on it almost worn smooth.
Before I could even say thank you.
The commuter bus arrived at the factory gate.
As the doors opened, my fellow workers disembarked one after another.
The middle-aged man was no exception, not even glancing at me again.
Scrolling through Douyin, he got off the bus as if nothing had happened.
I looked at the copper coin in my hand, wanting to ask a few more questions.
But as soon as I opened my mouth, I realized I didn't even know the man's name.
And there were so many people around.
By the time I got off the bus and wanted to chase after him, the middle-aged man had vanished.
I took a deep breath and put away the copper coin.
I thought to myself, I've encountered a master's guidance.
Otherwise, how could he have seen through my hidden worries at a glance?
Since he gave me this copper coin, it must be useful.
If I encountered those strange things at night again.
With the middle-aged brother's guidance, I should be safe.
Looking at the copper coin was like taking a calming pill.
My mood improved significantly, and I wasn't as scared anymore.
When I got online, I continued tightening bolts, the mechanical eight-hour workday.
The workload wasn't too heavy today, and coupled with my improved mood, I didn't make any more mistakes and wasn't singled out.
When it was time to leave, I held the ancient copper coin in my hand and stood by the commuter bus door.
I looked around, searching for the middle-aged brother who had given me the coin that afternoon.
But after waiting for more than ten minutes, I didn't see him.
"Hey, are you getting on, I'm leaving!"
The driver saw me standing by the door and urged me.
"Yes, getting on now."
After saying that, I took a couple of last glances before turning and getting on the bus.
If I hadn't met the middle-aged brother that afternoon, and if I didn't have this ancient coin.
I definitely wouldn't have dared to go home tonight and would have planned to sleep at an internet cafe.
But now, with this copper coin, I intended to do as the brother said.
If I encountered those strange things again, I would throw this ancient coin on the ground.
After all, such matters needed to be resolved.
I could hide for a while, but not forever.
Sitting on the bus, I tightly gripped the ancient coin, my palm sweating profusely.
About half an hour later, I arrived at the intersection.
I hunched my neck and got off the bus somewhat cautiously.
The commuter bus started and quickly drove away.
I looked back at the intersection; it was empty.
The entire street was silent.
Apart from the dim streetlights, there was not a soul in sight.
Seeing no one, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Preparing to cross the road to go home.
But just then, a mournful female voice echoed from behind:
"Little brother, can you change some money for me?"
As soon as this voice sounded, I felt a chill creep up my back.
My face immediately turned pale.
This voice was the same as the woman's from under the streetlamp last night.
My whole body tensed up, and goosebumps rose all over me.
But I still suppressed my fear and mechanically turned my head.
My peripheral vision kept glancing backward.
I saw, not far behind me.
A woman in white had appeared at some point.
The woman had long black hair, wore a long white dress, and her head was slightly bowed, obscuring her full face.
The exposed skin was incredibly pale, as white as A4 paper.
Both her voice and her attire.
Were exactly the same as the woman in white I had encountered last night.
My breathing involuntarily quickened.
Even though it was summer, my teeth chattered uncontrollably.
And the woman, seeing my lack of reaction.
Suddenly spoke again:
"Little brother, can you change some money for me?"
I shrank my head back in fear, holding my breath.
Feeling waves of cold wash over me.
I threw the copper coin in my hand onto the ground.
Stuttering, I said:
"He-here, take this.
Take the money, and then leave!!!"
For the first time, my voice became so shaky.
The copper coin landed on the ground with a crisp "bang, bang," finally rolling to the feet of the woman in white.
The woman in white looked at the copper coin on the ground and said again, mournfully and slowly:
"Thank you!"
With that, she crouched down to pick it up.
It was then that I noticed.
This woman, standing under the streetlight, had no shadow.
My mind "buzzed" and exploded, my pupils dilated rapidly, and I instinctively stumbled backward several steps.
Only one thing had no shadow – a ghost…
Terrified, my breathing became ragged. I dared not delay another second, turning and running across the road.
But as soon as I reached the road, it felt like something fiercely pulled me from behind.
Stumbling, my forward momentum slowed.
And at the same instant.
A series of piercing honks and screeching brakes erupted:
"Vroom, hiss…"
A dump truck loaded with soil sped past, less than thirty centimeters in front of me.
I could even feel the intense heat radiating from the dump truck's tires.
Brushing past death, I was so scared I collapsed onto the ground.
The dump truck braked sharply and stopped twenty to thirty meters away, spilling a lot of mud and stones from its load.
A long skid mark appeared on the ground.
A bald man frantically jumped out.
Seeing that I was alright, he patted his chest and let out a sigh of relief.
But then, he fiercely cursed at me:
"You want to die, go die somewhere else. Damn it, don't you dare crash into my truck, you scared the hell out of me, damn it!"
After saying that, he spat on the ground.
He turned, got back into the truck, and drove away again.
Still shaken, I watched the taillights of the truck and scrambled to my feet.
I looked back towards the pedestrian walkway.
I found that the woman in white had raised her head and was standing about ten meters away from me.
At this moment, she held the copper coin.
Her deathly pale face had become unusually excited.
Her eyes, devoid of pupils but pitch black, widened, and a sinister grin spread across her lips as she cackled at me…