Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 5

Jiang Chenyi thought about it and decided that talking about ghosts was probably not the best idea. He carefully chose his words instead.

“Well, that’s pretty much how it went. Last night, I ran into him. He didn’t say anything, just… hugged me out of nowhere. Ahem. And then this morning, he showed up again at my front door, pinched my cheek, and left.”

Hugged? That was an understatement. The ghost had practically snuggled up to him all night.

Chenyi felt a bit defeated. He was sure that from now on, the Ghost Festival would haunt him in more ways than one. It had to be the festival’s fault. Or maybe it was his own fault for leaving offerings at the door and inviting trouble.

Yes, it was his fault. Chenyi was to blame.

Even though the young man’s expression was a bit vacant, it didn’t stop Wang Yi from indulging in her gossip.

She cracked sunflower seeds with enthusiasm. “So, what about this guy? Is he handsome? Tall? What kind of vibe does he give off?”

“Uh, he’s… okay, I guess.” Chenyi turned his head awkwardly. How was he supposed to know? The guy was practically see-through!

“‘Okay’? What kind of answer is that?” Yi-Jie puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him in mock anger. “Chenyi, you’re already twenty-five. Isn’t it time you found someone? What’s the point of staying cooped up at home all the time? Are you planning to cut yourself off from the world? Ugh, fine, I won’t nag. But loneliness is a disease, you know. Don’t let yourself stay single forever. At the very least, get a cat or a dog or something. It’ll keep you company.”

Chenyi chuckled. “And end up like you, cuddling your dog and calling it your baby every day?”

Yi-Jie burst out laughing. “Exactly! My Xinxin is my precious baby. Way better than any dog man¹.”

“…” Chenyi, one of the so-called “dog men,” had no words.

He sighed, watching Yi-Jie lounge around without a care in the world. “Alright, I’m heading to work now, Yi-Jie.”

“Go on, go on. But listen, Chenyi, let me give you one last piece of advice. For someone like you, a hardcore homebody, the chances of finding your other half are slim to none. If someone does come along who’s interested in you, it’s got to be fate. True love, even. If they’re decent, give it a shot. Who knows? It might just be love.” Her smile was warm, almost glowing.

She genuinely cared about him.

“Alright, I’ll think about it,” Chenyi replied, feeling a warmth in his chest as he smiled and walked away.

Even though Yi-Jie made a lot of sense, that was a ghost!

Humans and ghosts… they’re worlds apart. No, it’s the modern era now-how could he even entertain such superstitious nonsense?

Love knows no boundaries-gender, age, race. If it’s true love, there’s nothing to criticize, right?

Chenyi chuckled to himself as he made his way to the classroom where he worked.

But still, that was a ghost! A ghost!

He ruffled his hair in frustration, letting out a groan. “What am I supposed to do?!”

Should he consult people in the know?

But based on his experience, nine out of ten of those so-called experts were frauds. And the real deal? He couldn’t afford them. Sure, he had some money, but spending a fortune on something like this didn’t seem worth it.

Chenyi thought about the ghost’s behavior. It hadn’t shown any signs of wanting to harm him. No dangerous moves. It even turned off the lights for him.

Maybe they could coexist peacefully. Or perhaps the ghost was just passing through and would leave soon.

Yes, that could be it. Maybe it had some last wish and needed his help to fulfill it.

Yes, that made sense! That’s how it always goes in novels and TV dramas, right?

Convinced he had figured out the ghost’s intentions, Chenyi perked up. All he had to do was help it fulfill its wish and send it on its way. Then he could return to his normal life!

Feeling optimistic, Chenyi finished his day’s work. Since he still had ingredients at home, he decided to skip grocery shopping and head straight back.

But as he climbed the stairs to his apartment, his steps grew heavier with each step.

Understanding something and actually doing it were two very different things.

He understood that once he resolved this, he could go back to his normal life. But first, he had to face a ghost.

A ghost whose intentions were unclear, whose nature was unknown.

As someone who had been traumatized by ghost stories as a child, Chenyi stood frozen in front of his door, trying desperately to suppress the urge to turn and run.

Open the door. Face the ghost bravely. Have a proper conversation.

But I can’t! My heart’s pounding like crazy, and I’m terrified of dying alone in my apartment!

If he died young, there were still so many games he hadn’t played, so many shows he hadn’t watched!

Then again, if he did die, he’d get to see his parents again, right?

There were pros and cons to everything. But he wasn’t ready to die just yet.

Chenyi felt like crying. He had worked so hard to get through the toughest times in his life, only to potentially meet his end now?

No way. He wasn’t ready to give up!

As he stood there locked in an intense internal struggle, the door suddenly opened.

Just like that. A soft click, without any warning, and it opened.

It opened.

Chenyi stared blankly.

Something cold gripped his wrist and pulled him inside.

He let himself be led in, dazed and unresisting.

Then he heard the door close behind him.

…He was doomed.

Was he going to be violated and then killed? Or killed first and then violated? Or maybe violated, killed, and then violated again?

Chenyi felt tears welling up.

Meng Loudi watched the young man standing there, completely blank, as if his soul had left his body.

He reached out again, taking Chenyi’s hand and guiding him to the sofa.

Today, Loudi had noticed something-he was becoming more corporeal. Perhaps it was a sign of his growing strength. Maybe soon, he’d even have color and be impossible to ignore.

Chenyi, still in a state of shock, suddenly remembered-wait, this guy could already grab him this morning, couldn’t he?

The ghost studied the young man, who seemed utterly petrified, and gently touched his eyelids. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t produce a clear sound.

Loudi sighed.

For someone who seemed so superstitious, how could he be this fragile?

Was he really that scared?

Maybe Chenyi wasn’t as terrified as he seemed. Maybe he just needed time to adjust.

The young man felt the cold fingers brush against his eyelids and panicked. Was the ghost going to gouge his eyes out?!

Of course, that didn’t happen.

Meng Loudi simply watched as Chenyi’s eyelashes trembled violently. A strange softness welled up inside him, and he reached out to touch them again.

He had lived for nearly a thousand years, seen countless people and events, all from within that tiny jade ring. But only this person had been able to release him.

Perhaps there was some special connection between them that had brought them together.

After being alone for so long, Loudi longed for someone to share warmth with.

And this person seemed just right.

In the invisible void where humans couldn’t see, a man dressed in ancient clothing crouched in front of Chenyi, gazing at him with gentle eyes.

After a while, when the ghost didn’t make any further moves, Chenyi cautiously let out a breath and looked ahead. He could sense the ghost’s presence right in front of him.

“Um, hello?” he ventured awkwardly.

The ghost didn’t seem to mind. Loudi knew his words wouldn’t reach Chenyi, so he extended a hand and gently lifted the young man’s left index finger.

Chenyi blinked. “Is that a yes?”

The ghost lifted his finger again.

It felt surprisingly friendly-so friendly that Chenyi almost wanted to cry with gratitude.

What kind of ghost was this?!

“Uh, so, would you like to talk?” Chenyi asked.

Another lift of the finger.

“I’d like to know why you’re here. Do you have some last wish? Something you need me to help you with?” the young man continued.

Loudi hesitated. That wasn’t something he could answer with a simple yes or no.

He lowered his gaze, took Chenyi’s hand, and placed it against his face, shaking his head.

Chenyi felt his hand being guided to a faintly defined shape. Was that… a cheek?

“You don’t know why you’re here?” Chenyi asked, trying to stay calm.

Loudi thought about the jade ring. If this guy found out, would he throw it away?

Humans were unpredictable.

So, for now, it was better not to tell the truth.

Chenyi felt the face under his hand shake again.

“Do you have any last wishes?” he asked.

Another shake of the head.

Chenyi felt a pang of disappointment. He’d guessed wrong. So now what?

As much as he hated to admit it, this was his home. Was it really so unreasonable to want an uninvited ghost to leave?

“When do you plan on leaving?” he asked hesitantly.

A long silence followed. Just as Chenyi was about to pull his hand back, Loudi shook his head.

And he did it with a certain air of entitlement.

So, he wasn’t planning on leaving.

Chenyi felt a twinge of despair.

What now?

There’s a ghost living in my house, and he’s unapologetically refusing to leave!

What am I supposed to do? Call an exorcist?

“What do you want, then?” Chenyi asked, clinging to a shred of hope.

If the ghost was staying, there had to be a reason.

Loudi looked at him, noticing the fear and helplessness in his eyes. A sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Perhaps he knew exactly how to handle this.

Chenyi felt the ghost shake his head again.

He was losing hope.

Dude, can you even nod?!

“So, uh, can I at least…” He hesitated. “Can I kick you out?”

Before he could finish, a chilling yin wind² swept through the room. The trinkets on the table rattled against each other.

Chenyi swallowed his words.

He got the message loud and clear-this ghost wasn’t going anywhere.

Swallowing his tears, he forced out, “Can we… live together?”

The yin wind stopped. His hand was once again guided to that cold face, which nodded this time.

Chenyi frowned. “Are you male or female? It feels weird just calling you ‘you’ all the time.”

Loudi glanced down at himself, then took Chenyi’s hand and wrote a single character: “Male.”

Chenyi nodded quickly. “Oh, okay. That’ll make things easier. I mean, we’re both guys, right?”

His smile was innocent, almost childlike.

Loudi was about to write his name when Chenyi interrupted. “How about I just call you ‘Mr. Ghost’ from now on? Let’s try to get along.”

Yes, Jiang Chenyi was that kind of man-one with no boundaries.

Once he realized the ghost had a strong aversion to being kicked out, he completely abandoned the idea.

Fine. They’d live together.

So what?

A real man knows when to bend and when to stand tall!

Live to fight another day!

Loudi froze for a moment, then smiled helplessly. He tapped Chenyi’s hand in agreement.

Someday, when he could speak words Chenyi could hear, he’d tell him his name.

For now, Mr. Ghost crouched in front of the young man, a shy smile playing on his lips.

This moment held a special meaning.

Footnote:

1. 1. Dog Man(狗男人):A humorous and slightly derogatory term used to describe men who are seen as unreliable, untrustworthy, or unworthy, often in a joking or exaggerated way.

1. 1. Yin Wind(阴风):A cold, eerie wind associated with supernatural forces or the presence of spirits in Chinese culture. “Yin” refers to the dark, passive energy in the concept of Yin-Yang.