All Done Except Your Room (除了你的房间)

Some years ago, around 2000-2003, I rented a room from a family in Ipoh Garden East as I was working in the IGB Industrial Park then. One night when I returned home, I saw there were many flower petals and kafir lime leafs lying all over the kitchen and living room. Since I was too tired to bother, I went straight into my room. I was working overtime then and hence I almost always returned to my room past midnight.

One week later, during one Sunday morning while I was about to go out; my landlady was hanging her clothing outside of the house. So she asked me:

“Ah Liew! Have you felt anything strange lately?”

I was a little surprised and dubious of her intention: perhaps she was signaling that I should find another room? So I answered her:

“I am very well, aunty.”

The landlady then asked:

“Didn’t you see the flower petals and kafir lime leafs lying around the floor?”

“What about them may I ask?”

At this time, the landlady put down the clothing in her hand and said:

“Last weekend, everyone else except the landlord was in the house. His friend brought both of his kids to the house for chatting. While they were talking their heads off; both of the kids suddenly asked simultaneously: “Uncle, who is the big sister who sat beside you?”

Both of the adult were startled for a while since both of the kids said the same thing; added to that no one except those four were in the house. Before both adults could come to their senses; one of the kids said: “Uncle, now the big sister is eating biscuits in the kitchen!”

That really did it! So the next day, the landlord invited a Taoist master to the house to investigate. The master said there are ‘something’ in the house and that the ‘something’ could be chased out by spreading flower petals and kafir lime leafs…”

I said naively: “Very well, the thing should be chased away too!”

Now, the landlady’s following words did really made the chill went down all the way down to my spine…

“Of course I did spread the flowers and lime leafs all over… EXCEPT your room! I still have some flowers and lime leafs left, do you want to do it yourself? It had been one week already, I am afraid that ‘thing’ is still in your room…”

I almost fainted!