Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 56
Jiang Chenyi’s heart almost stopped in that moment.
He felt a chill run down his spine as he turned to look behind him, tears welling up in his eyes.
There stood a man in a robe, chest half-exposed, arms crossed as if watching an entertaining show.
“When did you wake up?” Jiang heard his own voice ask.
Meng Loudi approached, saying, “I woke up the moment you moved. After all, I have to protect Chenyi. How could I let you sneak away quietly?”
“…What happened here?” Jiang asked.
He didn’t know why, but he felt that this man might know a lot.
The man looked at him, eyes filled with helplessness and affection.
“You silly thing, you know it too. Just open the door, and you’ll see what happened.”
His hand pressed gently on Jiang Chenyi’s.
In a low, husky voice, he advised, “Don’t be afraid. Of course, if you really are scared, you can jump into my arms.”
“Who’s scared!” Despite his heart pounding like a drum, Jiang Chenyi continued to put on a brave front.
The door swung open, revealing the scene inside.
The smell of blood was overwhelming.
The young man looked inside.
On the dining table where they had sat just hours before, lay a woman.
Her black hair was matted with blood, tangled and sticky, obscuring her face as she lay on the table.
Blood dripped from the tips of her hair, forming pools on the floor.
Her slightly bloated body lay atop the dishes, the soup and blood mixing, spilling over the table’s edge.
Jiang Chenyi’s expression remained unchanged.
He pinched his nose and walked over, asking, “Was she murdered?”
Up close, the scene became clearer.
It was the cook, still dressed in her clothes, shoes neatly on her feet, but a kitchen knife was embedded in her abdomen, her belly split open.
“Gah.” The young man gagged instinctively.
It was utterly disgusting.
Meng Loudi led him away from the kitchen, saying, “Alright, alright, don’t look. It’s disgusting, let’s go.”
His expression remained unchanged.
As if he was used to it.
The young man wiped his mouth and asked, “Loudi, do you know who did it?”
“Do you even need to ask? Of course, it was Chen Zhiyan, Mr. Chen,” Meng Loudi replied with a smile.
“But didn’t he leave?” The young man asked, eyes wide.
“Well, yes, he left, escorted by Shen Baihe herself, didn’t he? But he left unwillingly, wanting revenge, perhaps also because Cui Yulou was sent away too.”
The man’s face still wore a gentle smile as he spoke words that sent chills down one’s spine.
“…What do you mean?”
“Chenyi, you know, right? It’s twelve-thirty now, the time when the day changes. At this time, the yin qi of ghosts is at its peak. It’s the best time for a crime.” The man’s dark eyes still held a gentle smile, but Jiang Chenyi felt a chill run through him.
As if he were standing in a snowstorm in the dead of winter.
“Are you scared?” The man touched his cheek.
Jiang Chenyi lowered his eyes, “A little. Do you mean Madam Shen did something to Cui Yulou?”
“You understand, don’t you? Chenyi, you understand. Come with me to see what really happened.”
“Will he kill us?” Jiang asked.
He wasn’t afraid of death, but he didn’t want to die in such a strange way.
“He can’t kill us. I’ll protect Chenyi, right?” The man kissed the young man’s forehead.
He naturally took the other’s hand, leading him to another door.
They entered the reception room, where two bodies lay.
It was Xiang’er and Ling’er, who worked there, lying face down on the floor.
There were no visible wounds on their bodies.
The tea set on the table was overturned, its contents spilled everywhere.
Jiang Chenyi remained calm, “Poisoned?”
“Yes, our Chenyi is so smart. Keep looking,” the man said, pulling him forward.
“Why didn’t you stop it?” Jiang Chenyi finally asked.
His throat tightened, and though it seemed dangerous to question the man, no one knew what he might do.
But he wanted to ask.
As if he felt deep down that the man wouldn’t harm him.
Meng Loudi opened a door, a hint of joy in his brow, smiling, “So, Chenyi, will you blame me? Blame me for not stopping it all?”
Blame him for not taking action to prevent this tragedy?
Jiang Chenyi, will you?
“No, there’s a reason for everything, right? Even if you didn’t stop it, there’s no reason to blame you,” Jiang said, frowning as he voiced his thoughts.
Of course, if it were him, he would have stopped it.
But he couldn’t force his views on others.
Meng Loudi had his own freedom to act.
Even lovers shouldn’t interfere too much.
“That’s just like something Chenyi would say, but you’re still angry, right?” The man said, a bit restless.
Jiang Chenyi rolled his eyes, “Of course I’m angry. Even if you didn’t want to stop it, you could have told me. Now look at this mess!”
The man led him to a desk, where a black-covered notebook lay.
“Chenyi, take a look at this,” the man said softly.
Jiang Chenyi hesitated, “Isn’t that inappropriate?”
“Once you read it, you’ll understand. What you didn’t finish reading last time, you must finish this time,” Meng Loudi said gently.
The young man reached out, hesitantly picking up the notebook.
It was a diary, and its owner was obvious-Chen Zhiyan.
It was written intermittently since Chen Zhiyan arrived here.
……
October 16, 1903.
As expected, she’s dead.
That woman is truly ruthless.
After discovering my intentions, she didn’t hesitate to strike.
I thought they could wait a little longer.
But I’m dead, and why take the young master with me! Why, why, why, why!!!
Madness, madness, everyone’s gone mad!
That lunatic, I’ll make her pay, everyone who caused our deaths will pay!
Die, die, die, die, die, die, die!
Let them all die!
Ink smeared, red bloodstains mixed in.
Jiang looked at yesterday’s entry, feeling unwell.
By yesterday morning, Chen Zhiyan should have been dead, but was this diary written after his death?
Ugh.
Scared to death!
Trembling, he released the diary, putting it down, and with a cry, he leapt into the man’s arms, clutching his collar, exclaiming, “I didn’t kill him! I’m innocent, I won’t die, right?”
The man stroked his hair, “You won’t die, Chenyi is innocent.”
He was very calm, as if it had nothing to do with him.
Jiang Chenyi felt a pang in his heart, “And you! Are you innocent?! Knowing everything, did you just let them do it? Ah! Damn it, you’ll be haunted, won’t you?”
“Maybe?” Meng Loudi said deliberately.
Then, Jiang Chenyi exploded, grabbing the man’s clothes, wanting to pull his long hair and beat him up.
“So what?! After seducing me, are you just going to die? You bastard! Haven’t you thought about taking responsibility?!” The young man was so angry he was jumping.
Meng Loudi smiled at him, “So, what does Chenyi want? For me to die, or to live?”
“Isn’t it obvious?! Of course, I want you to live well! Meng Loudi, you better live well, if you dare die, I’ll curse you to death!”
Jiang Chenyi was in a panic.
But someone like Meng Loudi probably wouldn’t die so easily, right?
Being haunted by evil spirits sounded serious!
After being scolded, Meng Loudi was in a good mood, smiling as he made a move under his lover’s furious gaze.
“Then, for Chenyi, I’ll live well too,” Meng Loudi said, holding his lover close, “Now, let’s find the one responsible for all this.”
“Yeah.” Jiang Chenyi also wanted to see what was really going on.
From the man’s words and attitude, there seemed to be something more he should know.
The man led him upstairs.
In the corridor, sounds echoed, groans, cries.
Shen Baihe’s door was ajar, sounds spilling out.
Meng Loudi frowned.
Really, he thought it would be done, but was the efficiency so low?
How disappointing.
Or was it intentional, for them to see?
Jiang Chenyi hurried inside, pushing the door open, “Chen Zhiyan!”
Shen Baihe turned sharply to look at him, eyes glinting.
On the floor, a man pinned the beautiful woman down, his knife plunging down.
Blood sprayed, bursting into a large flower in the air.
In front of Jiang Chenyi, the woman’s head fell, her face still holding that joyful expression, then freezing.
“…” The young man felt dizzy, the world spinning.
Chen Zhiyan looked at him, as if seeing something lifeless, wiping the blood from his face.
His face was pale, not the color a living person should have.
“You came.”
“You…”
Jiang Chenyi felt his legs and feet were rooted, unable to move, his tongue frozen in fear, unable to speak.
The man put down his knife.
“Ah, didn’t you know? The evil dog by your side, didn’t he reveal the truth to you?”
Chen Zhiyan smiled, beautiful but full of malice.
“The truth, haven’t you gotten it yet?”
Large hands took the young man away, pulling him into a warm embrace.
“We’ve already got the truth, so when do you plan to let us go?”
The cool male voice brought great comfort to Jiang Chenyi.
“Haha, what are you saying?” Chen Zhiyan dragged the woman’s body towards them.
Meng Loudi led Jiang Chenyi away from him.
Jiang watched as the body was tossed out, the severed neck caught on the railing.
A familiar scene.
Blood dripped down.
Chen Zhiyan didn’t even glance at the once-beautiful shell, touching his forehead with bloody hands, “How could I let you go? This person is one thing, but you, you must stay.”
His mouth split open, an inhuman curve.
“By consuming you, we can truly be carefree.”
Chen Zhiyan’s ambition finally revealed itself.
Meng Loudi patted the back of the person in his arms, letting him lean into his embrace, sighing helplessly.
“Really not afraid of breaking your teeth, huh?”
