Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 3
After a leisurely day, Jiang Chenyi tidied up his belongings and prepared to head home. Bidding goodbye to his colleagues, he hopped on his bicycle and pedaled to a supermarket not far from his house. He picked out some fresh vegetables and fruits, and as he passed the snack aisle, he paused.
Looking at the assortment of produce in his shopping cart, he mused, “Maybe I should just fill up on snacks instead?”
Of course, it was just a joke. He still wanted to live a long and healthy life.
He grabbed two large bottles of soda, a few packs of chips and cookies, and some spicy chicken feet and necks. Satisfied with his haul, the young man headed to the checkout.
Why not just grab dinner outside?
First, it was only a little past three in the afternoon. Second, cooking at home was healthier and cheaper.
After paying, Jiang Chenyi carried his two large bags, wobbling slightly as he rode back home. He climbed up to the fifth floor, slightly out of breath, and unlocked the door.
Placing his groceries down, he went to his parents’ room to report on his day, as was his habit. Then, he returned to his own room and flopped onto the bed for a quick rest.
Something poked him. Reaching under himself, he pulled out the jade ring.
“Oh, I completely forgot about you. Now, where should I put you? Wait, was 350 yuan too much for this?”
Frugal by nature, Jiang Chenyi often questioned his impulsive purchases.
Grumbling about the price, he absentmindedly slipped the jade ring onto his wrist. Then, he sprawled out on the bed and started scrolling through his phone.
In the corner of the room, a faint shadow crouched silently.
The shadow gazed at the man on the bed, a smirk curling its lips. “350 yuan, and you dare complain? Just wait-you’ll pay for those words.”
Oblivious to the ominous presence, Jiang Chenyi lay on his stomach, laughing uncontrollably at the absurd memes posted by netizens.
“Hahaha! Oh my god, this cat is too cute! Wasn’t there a rule against magical creatures after the founding of the country?!” He clutched his stomach, tears streaming down his face.
“Hahaha! This is peak stupidity! Did their brain spring a leak or something?” His laughter echoed through the room.
The shadow in the corner remained cold and indifferent.
Laugh, laugh, laugh. What’s so funny?
Lowbrow humor, ridiculously low standards, and an IQ clearly running on empty.
Slowly, the shadow began to move, inching closer to the bed. Eventually, it slumped onto the mattress, its gaze drifting to the phone screen.
It had been a long time since it had ventured out. The world seemed different now.
Jiang Chenyi remained blissfully unaware of the entity now sharing his bed. He continued laughing, wriggling like an excited fish.
For a brief moment, his body and the shadow overlapped.
Jiang Chenyi shivered suddenly, rubbing his arm as he glanced at the empty space beside him. “What was that? Felt a chill just now.”
He sat up, extending his hand toward the spot.
The shadow remained motionless, its expression unreadable.
Jiang Chenyi frowned slightly, his hand brushing over the area repeatedly. He couldn’t shake the feeling of coldness emanating from that spot.
He touched the place where he had just been lying. It was warm.
“Oh, I get it! No one’s been sitting here, so it’s naturally colder. Man, I’m getting dumber by the day.” Chuckling, he flopped back down, rolling over-right onto the shadow.
Jiang Chenyi felt a slight chill but dismissed it with a satisfied sigh. “Ah, comfy!”
He resumed scrolling through his memes, laughing heartily.
The shadow found the sensation oddly intriguing. It was as if this man’s warmth was enveloping it, driving away its inherent coldness.
And so, the two of them stared at the phone screen together.
Jiang Chenyi: “Hahahaha!”
Shadow: Is it really that funny? Hmm… actually, it kind of is.
The young man laughed himself silly until five o’clock, pausing only to sip from a small bottle of soda.
The shadow eyed the soda with disdain. What’s so great about this stuff?
Though he wasn’t hungry, Jiang Chenyi decided to cook dinner to maintain his routine. He got up and headed to the kitchen.
Unseen, the shadow followed him, leaning against the doorway as it watched the young man prepare his meal.
Jiang Chenyi readied the ingredients and whipped up a serving of fried rice with eggs. He tossed in diced meat, carrots, vegetables, eggs, and rice. A quick stir-fry later, he had a dish that was colorful, flavorful, and nutritionally balanced.
Satisfied with his creation, he carried the fried rice to the living room, turned on the TV, and put on a horror movie to watch while eating.
The shadow sat nearby, alternating its gaze between the TV and the young man.
Jiang Chenyi ate spoonful after spoonful, a smile playing on his lips. He looked soft and easygoing, almost invitingly so.
His lips, glistening with oil, seemed particularly enticing.
Is it really that delicious?
The shadow leaned closer, attempting to catch a whiff of the aroma.
It smelled nothing.
Disappointed, it retreated slightly.
Jiang Chenyi shivered again, rubbing his arm. “Am I finally catching a cold? No way-I haven’t been sick in three years.”
He shrugged off the thought, continuing to eat and watch. When a gory scene appeared on screen, he quickly shut his eyes.
The shadow, sitting beside him, observed his every move.
Kind of cute.
Closing his eyes at the scary parts-kind of cute.
Maybe he was just lonely.
It had been a long time since the shadow had been close to anyone. Trapped inside the jade ring for centuries, it had finally gained freedom. Now, it found itself fixated on this man, watching his every move like a creep.
After finishing his meal, Jiang Chenyi sped through the rest of the horror movie at double speed.
“Ugh, I feel a little sick now. Why did I think watching this while eating was a good idea?” He sighed, realizing his mistake.
Washing the dishes and putting them away, he began tidying up the apartment. Sweeping, mopping, wiping down surfaces, and taking out the trash.
The shadow followed him like a stalker, ensuring every action was within its line of sight.
Of course, it exercised restraint when Jiang Chenyi went to the bathroom. Some boundaries were still respected.
Once the apartment was spotless, Jiang Chenyi turned his attention to the pile of clothes on his computer chair. He picked them up one by one, sniffing each.
“This one’s clean. This one needs washing. Hmm, this one too.”
He gathered three or four items that needed laundering and tossed them into the laundry basket.
Clapping his hands, he looked pleased with himself. “Perfect! Time for some gaming!”
He plopped into his computer chair, ready for battle.
The shadow watched him, unimpressed. So, kid, what’s stopping you from actually washing those clothes?
But it knew its words would never reach Jiang Chenyi, so it didn’t bother trying. Instead, it perched on the bed, observing the young man’s gaming antics.
Is this really that fun?
The shadow pondered the question again, sitting dumbly on the bed as Jiang Chenyi played until midnight.
During that time, it attempted to drink some soda but failed. Even leaning close to Jiang Chenyi’s lips yielded no taste.
Disappointed once more.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chenyi, mid-game, grew annoyed with the jade ring on his wrist. He yanked it off and tossed it onto the bed, muttering, “Ugh, this thing’s messing up my controls. Haha, watch me dominate!”
The shadow: …
Its feelings were… complicated.
Unaware of the presence in his room, Jiang Chenyi turned off the lights and went to bed.
The shadow watched as he changed into his pajamas and collapsed onto the mattress, then silently climbed onto the other side of the bed.
What should it do?
Remain invisible?
Or stir up some trouble?
Lying there, it decided against causing a scene. That would only scare the young man.
Better to observe him quietly.
Day after day, Jiang Chenyi’s routine remained unchanged-either working or staying home.
The shadow, meanwhile, continued its daily surveillance.
Through this constant observation, the shadow discovered that Jiang Chenyi was quite peculiar. Perhaps he was one of those so-called “homebody boys”?
Aside from work and grocery shopping, he rarely left the house. He spent his days watching TV, gaming, and bingeing shows, avoiding contact with others entirely.
Doesn’t he get lonely?
The shadow wanted to ask, driven by pure curiosity.
July flew by, giving way to the scorching heat of August.
Soon, it was the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month-Ghost Festival.
According to tradition, this was the day when spirits from the underworld roamed the human realm.
As a member of the superstitious Jiang Family, Jiang Chenyi naturally observed the occasion. He even took the day off to prepare offerings for his parents.
He arranged three plates: one of fruits, one of staple foods, and one of meat dishes. These he placed before his parents’ memorial tablets.
Kneeling and bowing three times, he prayed for their blessings.
The shadow stood silently nearby, watching.
Then, Jiang Chenyi prepared another set of offerings, placing them at the door. “For anyone who has nowhere to go and happens to pass by, please enjoy these offerings. Just don’t cause trouble or harm.”
These were meant for wandering spirits.
The shadow approached the offerings, wisps of smoke curling around its form.
For a brief moment, Jiang Chenyi thought he saw a humanoid figure in the smoke. But when he looked closer, it was gone.
Shaking his head, he chuckled. “I must be losing it. Ghosts aren’t real, right?”
To be honest, his offerings to his parents were more about remembrance than belief.
As for whether ghosts truly existed, he wasn’t sure. Probably not.
Smiling to himself, he returned to his gaming adventures.
The shadow lingered nearby, watching him play. Yet something had subtly shifted.
The shadow could feel it.
Something had changed.
As usual, Jiang Chenyi indulged in his youthful energy until midnight. He climbed into bed but forgot to turn off the lights. As he walked back to the switch, yawning, he suddenly felt as if he had bumped into something.
Just for a moment, it felt like something was there-something solid-but the next instant, he passed right through it.
Today was the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, Ghost Festival.
Don’t scare yourself. There’s no such thing as ghosts.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Chenyi stepped back.
This time, the sensation was even clearer. He could almost hear breathing.
Fear, dread, and helplessness washed over him in an instant.
