Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 106
The yin-yang lumina mirror noticed the peculiar look in Bao’er’s eyes. It twisted its own reflective surface, seemingly bashful, and said, “Well, I don’t want others to ruin their relationship. It’s so perfect, so sweet.”
“Is that so?” Bao’er nodded slightly, indeed, it seemed like something the lumina mirror would do.
Meng Loudi also looked towards Jiang Chenyi and said, “Chenyi, you heard that, right? From now on, you’ll have to protect me.”
He showed a radiant smile, dazzling Jiang.
“Alright.” Jiang Chenyi could only compromise.
“Then I’ll trouble the young shopkeeper Bao’er,” Jiang Chenyi said with a slight smile as he looked at the young man.
Bao’er sighed in relief, “No worries, no worries, just a moment, let me go find the converter.”
Saying this, he climbed over the counter and hopped inside to search.
Mr. Ghost watched Bao’er and whispered, “Not charging again this time? How strange.”
“What?”
“It’s just that this shopkeeper Bao’er, he never asks for any pawn items. Although he said this place is quite expensive,” Meng Loudi stroked his chin, somewhat puzzled.
Jiang Chenyi: “……”
This place is called “Jiang’s Pawnshop,” right?
So, does it have something to do with me?
Speaking of which, although he knew his family members were all remarkable, he wasn’t quite sure what exactly they were up to.
And the name Molin Town also sounded somewhat familiar.
The young man pulled out his phone, intending to call Jiang Yuexi.
Jiang Meng limped over with its little paws, clawing at the young man’s trouser leg, meowing.
The tender meows mixed with the clear bell sounds caused a moment of daze for Jiang Chenyi.
Picking up the little kitten, the young man dialed the number.
Bao’er pulled out a peculiar set of scales from the cabinet; one side was white, the other black, forming an octagonal scale pan, with a distinct golden pillar in the middle.
He wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead and called out, “Alright, found it. Let’s proceed quickly, no time to waste!”
“Right.” Jiang Chenyi frowned as the call went unanswered.
Mr. Ghost led him to the counter.
Bao’er pointed to the white scale pan, “Chenyi, just place your hand here, and Mr. Meng, put your hand on the black one, then start releasing your ghostly aura. When the time comes, you can let go.”
“And when is the time?” Jiang Chenyi asked.
Bao’er pocketed his hands, smiling, “You’ll know when it’s time.”
This Bao’er, also somewhat strange.
Jiang thought to himself.
Mr. Ghost promptly placed his hand on the black scale pan.
Jiang had no choice but to follow suit.
“Here, hand me Jiang Meng, you two take your time.” Bao’er reached out, took the little black cat away, and stepped aside, watching their actions.
The young man repeatedly stroked the black cat’s back, his cat-petting skills quite adept.
Jiang Meng purred comfortably.
“Meow~”
Bao’er laughed, looking at the black cat, “You little fellow are quite something. If you were to transform into a human form, wonder how many hearts you’d charm.”
“Meow?” Jiang Meng looked puzzled.
Bao’er looked into its blue eyes, gently tapped its nose, and chuckled, “A black cat with eyes like gems.”
It was his first time seeing such a black cat with blue eyes.
A continuous stream of black ghostly aura flowed from Meng Loudi’s hand, converging into a small river that surged towards the center. At the tiny junction in the middle of the scale, it transformed into white mist, rushing towards the hand resting on the white scale pan.
Jiang Chenyi felt the warm spirit energy, his eyes stinging slightly, and then the spirit energy rushed towards him rapidly.
As if drawn by an unknown force.
Or as if a starving whale had opened its mouth wide to suck everything in.
Meng Loudi felt his strength gradually diminishing, but he did not feel uneasy.
His power was given to Jiang Chenyi.
This sensation carried a mysterious satisfaction.
Time slowly passed.
Meng Loudi closed his eyes, seemingly falling into a deep sleep, his face unusually tired.
Jiang Chenyi hung his head low, his expression unclear.
The transformation of ghostly aura did not stop.
But the absorption of spirit energy gradually stabilized.
Like a starving person who, after eating half-full, finally slowed down to savor each bite of delicious food.
Dusk arrived.
Night fell.
All was quiet.
Then, dawn came.
Jiang Chenyi suddenly lifted his head and shouted, “Enough!”
Meng Loudi jolted, looked towards him, and saw those previously brown eyes turn silver-white, like moonlight embedded within.
He showed a delighted smile, released his hand, stepped forward, and grasped his lover’s shoulders, “Has it been successful?”
“Yes, you’ve worked hard.” Jiang Chenyi tenderly touched his lover’s tired cheek.
Now, he felt very strange.
As if through his own eyes, he could see all the truths of the world.
Was this really a good thing?
Jiang Chenyi wasn’t sure, but he was also very tired now, a fatigue seeping from his bones.
Like a flower that had always wanted to bloom but couldn’t due to lack of nutrients, finally receiving enough sustenance to bloom.
Beautiful to look at, yet full of flaws.
The two went inside.
Inside the pawnshop, there were four side rooms. Pushing open one of them, it was fully furnished.
It looked like a guest room.
Jiang Chenyi supported Mr. Ghost, placing him on the antique bed, removed his shoes, and slowly climbed in too.
He was still curious about many things.
The young man yawned, exhausted, and closed his eyes.
When they woke up, he would definitely ask Meng Loudi thoroughly.
Jiang Chenyi snuggled up to the man’s side, rubbed against his body, and fell asleep contentedly.
Into the pawnshop came an old woman with white hair. She was short in stature, wearing embroidered cloth shoes and a dark blue robe. Her white hair was styled into a solemn bun, adorned with a wooden hairpin, and around her neck hung thirty-eight luminescent jade beads. She walked in with her head high and her chest out.
Bao’er, playing with the black cat, while the yin-yang lumina mirror remained in its place.
The old woman approached the counter, barely taller than it.
“Bao’er, how is Chenyi doing?” Liu Lanying asked.
Bao’er looked up, his eyes showing concern in the old woman’s gaze, “The old madam can rest assured, Prince Fu’an sacrificed himself to save your precious grandson.”
The old lady, relieved, showed a foolish smile.
“That’s good, that’s good. I’ve heard about Prince Fu’an’s fate; he can surely protect our Chenyi.”
Liu Lanying, the shop owner and the woman who hand-made wontons and tangyuan.
Also, the current head of the Jiang family, the old madam of the Jiang family.
The guardian of Molin Town.
She looked behind the red curtain, “They must be exhausted, right?”
Bao’er propped his chin, nodding, “Yes, all night.”
“……Bao’er, you should leave this place soon,” the grandmother looked at the young man, her eyes filled with helplessness and pity.
Bao’er understood her meaning, shook his head, “Why should I leave? I won’t go. I promised your □□ grandfather to stay with the Jiang family, to be your guardian deity. How can I leave?”
The small old lady stood in front of him, now dressed differently and quite imposing. At this moment, with a stern face, she truly looked like that wicked stepmother.
“Bao’er, you don’t need to go this far. You have the key to other worlds, right? Leave here quickly, or when the time comes, and the heavenly Dao suppresses, really destroying the path of demons and ghosts, you won’t be able to leave!”
Bao’er listened, rolled his eyes, and sat on the counter, now much taller than the small old lady.
Bao’er glanced sideways at her, chuckled, “You were so cute when you were little, always chasing after me calling ‘brother.’ How come you’ve grown less and less likable?”
Liu Lanying sighed, “I’m eighty-seven years old, how else do you expect me to be likable? I’m not joking with you, Bao’er, if you can leave, leave as soon as possible.”
They had long understood the will of this world.
All things must act according to the heavenly Dao.
The heavenly Dao dictates, and no one can say otherwise.
At some point, the souls called by the human world no longer knew of King Yama’s Palace.
The netherworld, just the netherworld.
Nowadays, with the decline of spirit energy, the demons and ghosts are dwindling, and it won’t be long before the term ‘demon’ will no longer exist.
This is the will of the heavenly Dao, and they can only comply.
Whether in decline or in prosperity.
Bao’er sighed, “You urge me every day to leave, but how can I leave?”
The age-old creature, appearing youthful, looked towards the red box nearby, “I indeed have the key, but now the spirit energy of this world is only enough for one person to leave. If I leave this world, the demons and ghosts of this world will pay a painful price. Old madam, I can’t do it, Bao’er is not that cold-hearted.”
Saying so, the young man touched his chest, his eyes smiling at the old lady, “The sword immortal of the Jiang family, the eight treasures box Bao’er, and that last dragon… we had agreed… to live and die together.”
The young man was smiling, but his heterochromatic eyes seemed close to tears.
Filled with sorrow, carrying a heart-breaking complexity and heaviness.
Liu Lanying suddenly shed tears, bowed her head, and said, “But, of the three people agreed upon back then, only you are left…”
Bao’er sighed, somewhat helplessly shaking his head.
“No, they have always been with me, I can feel them.”
Those finely carved white jade hands covered his chest.
“For over two thousand years, every single day.”
So, he would continue to wait.
Until the day comes when Bao’er needs to sacrifice himself to gain a glimmer of life for the spirit creatures of this world.
Bao’er always believed.
One day.
The world will change.
Hearing the creature’s words, the old lady was overwhelmed with grief, took two steps back, covered her face with her sleeve, and said in a trembling voice, “I’ll leave first.”
“Take care,” Bao’er waved his sleeve, smiling warmly.
As if the deep sorrow of just a moment ago had dissipated in an instant.