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At ten in the morning, the Yong'an Hall in the southern part of the city was filled with a somber atmosphere. The funeral of the renowned businessman Zhu Xiheng was taking place here. The entrance was adorned with white wreaths and condolence banners, and a steady stream of mourners arrived to pay their respects.
Black cars lined the streets, and as one of the most influential businessmen in Spring City, Zhu Xiheng's funeral had naturally become a gathering for the city's elite.
Ruan Xiaoshuang navigated through the crowd with a Kodak camera in hand. Dressed in a sharply tailored gray suit, her short hair framed her face, giving her a competent appearance. As one of the few female photographers in Spring City, she was accustomed to the curious glances from onlookers.
Ruan Xiaoshuang was there on assignment from the Chun Cheng Evening News to capture images of this high-profile funeral. Although it was just a temporary job, being able to support herself through her passion for photography brought her a unique sense of fulfillment. Becoming a great photographer who could document the real world had always been her dream.
Inside the hall, a black coffin lay at the center, with an enlarged portrait of the deceased hanging above it. White candles flickered around the room as several Taoist priests chanted prayers. Ruan Xiaoshuang carefully avoided the gaze of those in mourning as she raised her camera, sweeping through the crowd before finally focusing on the coffin. With a click, she captured the moment. Adjusting her angle, she took several more shots.
Just as she prepared to snap a few close-ups, a large hand suddenly pressed down on her camera. It belonged to a middle-aged man dressed in a black suit, his expression dark as he looked at her. "Who allowed you to take pictures? Which newspaper are you from?"
"I'm not from any newspaper; I'm a freelance photographer," Ruan Xiaoshuang replied calmly, meeting his gaze. "I was commissioned to document the funeral."
The man frowned. "Commissioned? By whom?"
This was obviously a lie that Ruan Xiaoshuang had concocted on the spot, but her tone was confident. "By Zhu Family Second Young Lady. Didn't you know? She specifically asked me to capture this moment to remember her father."
The man regarded her with skepticism but ultimately did not press further. He simply said coldly, "You've taken enough pictures; hurry up and leave."
Ruan Xiaoshuang nodded in acknowledgment and pretended to lower her head to pack away her camera. Seizing the opportunity while he turned away, she quickly snapped one last photo—the portrait of the deceased above the coffin.
After leaving Yong'an Hall, Ruan Xiaoshuang rode her bicycle through several old streets until she arrived at an unassuming brick building in the eastern part of town. This was where she rented an apartment; although it was somewhat remote, the rent was cheap, and most importantly—her landlord didn’t mind if she converted one of the small rooms into a darkroom.
Setting down her backpack, she took out her camera and film and eagerly slipped into the darkroom. She expertly turned on the red light and immersed some of today’s developed negatives into a shallow tray filled with developer solution, gently shaking it.
This was the developing solution she had just bought from a young apprentice at Yongtai Photography Studio a few days ago. It was said to be the studio's exclusive formula, capable of making photos clearer and more vivid.
In the darkroom, only the faint light from a red bulb illuminated the space as Ruan Xiaoshuang stared at the image gradually appearing in the liquid. First, there were blurry outlines, then a crowd, and finally, a coffin and an altar...
"Wait?" Ruan Xiaoshuang leaned in closer, her eyes widening.
In the developed photo, there stood a figure beside the coffin—a man dressed in funeral garments... it was none other than the deceased Zhu Xiheng! Standing next to his own coffin!
"This can't be real..." Ruan Xiaoshuang nearly dropped her tweezers in fright.
"It must be that the film was overexposed. Luckily, I took a few extra shots..." she reassured herself quietly as she picked up another photo with her tweezers.
The same scene, the same angle; the deceased Zhu Xiheng still stood beside the coffin, but this time, his head was turned, staring directly at her lens!
A chill ran down Ruan Xiaoshuang's spine, but refusing to believe it was mere coincidence, she decided to try again. This time, she specifically changed the developing solution to one she usually used and soaked the remaining films in it.
"If it still turns out like this, then it’s definitely not a coincidence..."
As a result, the photo that came out still showed Zhu Xiheng's figure, albeit more blurred than before.
"Could it be an issue with the developing solution?" Ruan Xiaoshuang pondered. Although she had used her original solution for the third photo, perhaps remnants of Yongtai Photography Studio's solution lingered in the tray?
Then she recalled the bizarre death of Qi Songtao, the owner of Yongtai Photography Studio, just the day before...
Ruan Xiaoshuang felt all her hair stand on end. She quickly left the darkroom and stepped outside to bask in the sunlight.
That night, Ruan Xiaoshuang hardly slept at all. The next morning, she went to the newspaper office with dark circles under her eyes and submitted several normal photos.
After receiving her payment, she didn’t leave immediately because she overheard a topic that piqued her interest—several seasoned reporters were gathered chatting nearby.
"It's really strange lately; it must have been three months now? Six prominent figures have suddenly died of heart attacks. A lot of people in town are talking about it."
"Right? They’re all well-known personalities from politics and business. The key is they’re not that old and usually had no major health issues—then suddenly they’re gone."
"Hey, have you heard? The owner of Yongtai Photography Studio just died too. I heard the police even brought in some 'Master Wang Qi' to assist with the investigation! Now even the police are getting into these superstitions; this world is really coming to an end..."
Ruan Xiaoshuang stood a short distance away, pretending to adjust her camera.
"Wang Qi Master?" she repeated the name in her mind, wondering if this Wang Qi Master could explain the anomalies captured in her photographs.
Having made up her mind, she sought out several familiar veteran journalists and finally learned the approximate address of the Wang Qi Master.
The western part of Spring City was the oldest district, with streets crisscrossing like a maze. After turning around seven or eight corners and asking for directions along the way, Ruan Xiaoshuang finally found the small courtyard of the Wang Qi Master.
The gate was open, revealing a yard with a tall osmanthus tree, beneath which stood a stone table surrounded by several bamboo chairs. A young woman dressed in a dark blue long gown had her back to the entrance, her long hair simply tied up, as she playfully fed a black cat.
"Excuse me, are you Master Shen Tong?" Ruan Xiaoshuang asked tentatively.
The woman turned around, revealing that her right eye was covered by a black eye patch while her left eye sparkled with clarity.
"Who are you?" Shen Tong asked coolly.
"My name is Ruan Xiaoshuang, and I am a freelance photographer. I captured some... unusual photographs and would like your help in examining them."
Shen Tong studied the girl whose face was filled with curiosity for a few seconds before giving a slight nod. "Come in."
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