The Years Spent Flipping Haunted Houses

Do you know what a haunted house is?

A haunted house, as the name suggests, is a place where someone once died an unnatural death. Such deaths—be it by accident, suicide, or murder—are said to leave behind restless spirits, for their lifespans were cut short and they died with regret. Their souls are rumored to linger in their former homes, making these houses notorious for strange happenings.

Because of this, owners usually sell these properties at a loss. Back then, pressed by financial hardship and by a twist of fate, I stumbled into the business of flipping haunted houses—buying them at rock-bottom prices, ‘dealing’ with them, then selling them for a profit.

The income from flipping haunted houses was indeed substantial. I made a fair amount during those years. But the bizarre and uncanny events I encountered have haunted me like nightmares long after I left the business. Even now, the memory chills my spine and makes cold sweat break out on my skin.

Today, I have finally summoned the courage to recount my story, hoping, perhaps, that in the telling I can draw a line under my past.

My name is Li Yang. I had just graduated from university that year. For reasons I could never quite grasp, I’d always been dogged by bad luck during my university years—whatever I tried, I failed. After graduation, I was repeatedly rejected in my job search. Not only did I fail to earn any money, I actually racked up considerable debt.

I came from a rural village. Back then, I was the only one who had made it to university; the villagers had sent me off