Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 11
Meng Loudi sat up, fingers deftly untying the sash of his robe. As he removed the outer garment, the snow-white fabric transformed into a wisp of white smoke and vanished.
Mr. Ghost stared at the dissipating smoke in surprise. It had been nearly a millennium since he last took off his clothes, and he had forgotten that they weren’t real garments, merely a manifestation of his spiritual energy.
Jiang also noticed the disappearing robe and, seeing the bewilderment on Meng Loudi’s face, he chuckled. He playfully grabbed a lock of Mr. Ghost’s hair and said, “Let’s sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll take you out.”
“What?”
“I said, I’ll take you shopping. Are you afraid of the sunlight?” The young man beamed brightly.
“Not at all,” Mr. Ghost replied.
“Great! When I get back from work, I’ll take you to buy some clothes.” Jiang was overjoyed.
The thought of buying clothes for his beloved made Jiang a little excited. Look at that, even a perennial single dog like Jiang now has a boyfriend!
Mr. Ghost didn’t quite understand the young man’s excitement, but since Jiang wanted to do it, Mr. Ghost naturally agreed.
“Alright.”
The two embraced and fell asleep.
Jiang nestled against Mr. Ghost’s slender waist, his head resting on the ghost’s chest, and drifted off.
In the hazy realm of dreams, two figures approached him hand in hand.
“You little rascal! Look at what you’ve done! Daring to find a man! And not even a human!” The middle-aged man’s roar was deafening.
A gentle female voice interjected, “What are you saying, Old Jiang? We left too soon, leaving our son to grieve all these years. As long as he’s found someone he loves, that’s all that matters. Sweetheart, have you been well all these years?”
Jiang Chenyi looked at the familiar figures, tears streaming down his face. “I’ve been very well, don’t worry.”
“Do you really like him? Like a man?!”
“Old Jiang, let him be. Even if he didn’t like men, look at our son’s bear-like demeanor. Could he find a wife?” The woman tugged at the man’s ear.
…
Jiang woke up crying, like a delicate flower battered by the storm, tears glistening in his eyes as he lay on the bed.
Meng Loudi gently wiped away the tears on the young man’s face, asking with concern, “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”
Jiang hastily wiped his eyes, looked at Mr. Ghost, and pouted, “No, I had a beautiful dream.”
“What kind of beautiful dream makes you cry?”
“My parents came to see me. They said if you ever dare to bully me, they’ll bring the whole family to beat you up.” Jiang laughed, a bit smug.
Meng Loudi couldn’t help but chuckle, “Alright, if I dare to bully you, I’ll let my father-in-law and mother-in-law punish me.”
Then Mr. Ghost suddenly leaned in, leaving a fleeting kiss on those full lips.
Jiang was stunned, his face turning beet red in an instant. “You, you, you, that was my first kiss!”
Mr. Ghost caressed his cheek, smiling, “Mine too.”
“How is that possible?! Didn’t you ancient people start doing that stuff early?” Jiang was skeptical, thinking this dog man must be making it up to please him!
Meng Loudi continued to stroke his cheek, clearly enamored.
“I had an obsession with cleanliness and couldn’t tolerate others getting close, so when I died of illness at twenty-four, I hadn’t found anyone I liked.” Mr. Ghost recounted his tragic past with calm detachment.
Jiang’s heart ached.
Twenty-four, the prime of one’s life, yet he died of illness.
“I’m sorry for bringing up your sad past. But didn’t you have an obsession with cleanliness? Why didn’t I notice?”
The idea of an obsession with cleanliness sounded terrifying.
Meng Loudi chuckled softly, “That was something I developed over time. I spent countless days and nights in the ancient tomb, watching my corpse decay, seeing snakes and rats scurry about. No matter how disgusting, I had to endure it. Gradually, the obsession faded.”
Jiang was dumbfounded.
So, an obsession with cleanliness could change?
But imagining the environment Meng Loudi was in, it made sense.
Though disgusting, one could get used to it, and naturally, there wouldn’t be so many issues.
“Don’t be sad. If you want to be a little obsessive about cleanliness, I can accept that.” Jiang hugged him.
His mind was calculating.
If Mr. Ghost still had an obsession with cleanliness, he could leave the house cleaning entirely to Meng Loudi!
Meng Loudi embraced the one who willingly threw himself into his arms, chuckling, “I don’t think that’s possible. If I were still like I was back then, I’d have to push you away and give myself a good wash three to five times.”
Jiang: “……”
Just hearing you say that, I feel it’s quite bizarre.
That’s not an obsession with cleanliness; it’s a cleanliness mania.
If the ancient tomb hadn’t cured you, Jiang thought, he’d definitely kick you out of the house.
Jiang felt a bit disappointed as he got up and dressed for work.
Meng Loudi instantly transformed his clothes back.
Jiang put on his suit pants and white shirt, looking at his ghostly companion, “Loudi, can you change your clothes into something else?”
“I should be able to.”
“Can you cut your hair short?” Jiang asked.
Meng Loudi instinctively touched his long black hair, solemnly saying, “Our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents; they must not be altered!”
Jiang Chenyi chuckled at his serious demeanor, “Alright, alright, I won’t touch your hair. Just change into modern clothes, so when I come back, we can go out together without looking strange.”
“And my hair?” Mr. Ghost hesitated.
Nowadays, men with long hair seemed quite rare.
“It’s fine. You see people on TV with long hair too. No one will bother you.” Jiang was unconcerned.
Mind your own business; why point fingers at others?
Whether someone is disabled or dresses or behaves strangely, it’s none of your concern.
Even if two men hold hands on the street, there’s nothing wrong with that.
As long as it doesn’t harm public morals or disrupt public order.
Yes, Jiang was such a man, indifferent to others’ opinions.
As a homebody boy, his range of activities throughout the year was limited. What kind of people could he meet?
Going out, even if he did something strange, like shopping with Mr. Ghost, excitedly buying clothes for him, sharing an ice cream-what did it matter to strangers?
No fear!
Mr. Ghost listened to the young man’s request, thought for a moment, and asked, “So, what should I change into?”
“Whatever you like. As an adult, you should be able to make your own decisions!” Jiang Chenyi patted his shoulder, ready to make breakfast for himself.
Mr. Ghost had been cuddling with him all morning, so he probably hadn’t made breakfast.
Meng Loudi thought for a moment, watching the young man’s back.
Jiang Chenyi was wearing straight suit pants and a white shirt today, different from his usual casual attire.
His waist seemed like it could be easily grasped, not to mention those straight legs.
Meng Loudi waved his hand, and his clothes transformed. His long black hair was tied up, cascading down his back.
He took a few steps to follow.
Jiang looked at the breakfast on the table, puzzled.
“Loudi, did you make breakfast today?”
“Yes.”
“But weren’t you just cuddling with me?” Jiang was confused.
“That doesn’t stop me from making breakfast for you.” Mr. Ghost wore a smile of a virtuous spouse, looking extremely wholesome.
Jiang Chenyi also noticed his outfit, marveling as he circled around him, “Loudi, why do you look so good in the same clothes?”
The same clothes on Jiang gave off a fresh campus vibe, but on Loudi, it was different. An aura of an upper-class elite exuded from him.
Even though his demeanor was gentle, there was an undeniable air of authority.
Jiang felt a bit intimidated, thinking he might not be able to treat him as a wife.
But he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, Mr. Ghost didn’t know men could do that too.
A blessing in disguise.
He’d better stick to being a herbivore.
Meng Loudi smiled gently, whispering, “You look good too. Really good.”
Jiang Chenyi blushed, sitting down to eat his breakfast.
“Mr. Ghost, while I’m at work, feel free to do whatever you like. If you want to go out, that’s fine too. But this community is mostly filled with uncles and aunts. And definitely don’t use your non-human abilities in front of others. Actually, it doesn’t matter much; most people will just think they saw wrong.”
He took a bite of the fried egg, eyes closing in bliss, “A runny yolk, so delicious.”
After savoring breakfast, he continued to remind Mr. Ghost, “Feel free to use the TV and computer at home. You know the password. Oh, and if you want to buy something online, you know my payment password too. Go ahead.”
Meng Loudi listened to his beloved’s ramblings, a gentle smile on his face.
Being stared at like that, Jiang swallowed his fried egg, rubbed his nose, and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I just like you so much. I have to look at you because soon you’ll be off to work, and I won’t see you for a long time.” Mr. Ghost’s sweet words flowed effortlessly.
Jiang quietly covered his face, “You’re really like a golden retriever.”
Like a warm, loyal dog, affectionate and always expressing love.
“Like what?” Mr. Ghost was puzzled.
Jiang finished his last bite, mumbling, “Nothing.”
“Alright.” Meng Loudi never pressed for answers. He simply smiled, jotting down a note in his little book.
Today, Jiang said he was like a golden retriever and then avoided the topic.
So, a golden retriever is… a dog?
That’s a type of medium to large pet dog Jiang often saw in cute pet videos.
Mr. Ghost felt a bit troubled. Was being compared to a dog good or bad?
Jiang didn’t notice his lover’s melancholy, smiling as he watched Mr. Ghost closely follow him. He reached out, stood on tiptoe, cupped his face, and gave him a gentle kiss.
“Goodbye, Loudi.” Jiang’s voice was so tender it surprised even him.
Jiang felt enveloped in the sweet scent of love, and it made him happy.
“Goodbye, Chenyi. I’ll be waiting for you at home.” Mr. Ghost returned the gesture with a kiss on the forehead.
The two parted reluctantly.
