Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 81
The two arrived at Ba Lin smoothly and took the elevator upstairs.
Jiang’s work items were left in the chairman’s office, and the two of them went about their routine as usual.
One sat behind the desk, handling affairs.
The other curled up on the sofa, sketching and drawing.
By five-thirty, Meng Loudi was decisively done with work.
Jiang packed up his drawing tablet and asked, “Are you finished?”
“Yes,” Mr. Ghost nodded, pulling the young man along, “We should get ready for the gala.”
“Get ready for what?”
The gala starts at seven.
What kind of preparation takes an hour and a half?
Then Mr. Ghost took him to a shop that looked incredibly high-end and classy.
The shop was located in Ba Lin Building, on the twenty-fifth floor, occupying a significant area.
The stylists inside seemed to exude a sense of elegance.
“Here?”
“Don’t worry, our company’s image design is all done here, and all expenses are settled at the end of each month.” Mr. Ghost walked in, pulling Jiang along, “Make him look distinguished.”
The stylist nodded and invited Jiang Chenyi to the chair to start his makeover.
Meng Loudi was someone he recognized, as Ba Lin’s staff had specifically shown them his photo and emphasized paying attention to him.
Meng Loudi sat on a sofa to the side, watching Jiang Chenyi.
After half an hour, the freshly styled Jiang emerged.
The stylist had given him a side-parted hairstyle, adding a bit of roguish charm, and applied light makeup. Though it seemed unusual, the effect was undeniably impressive.
His lips were red, teeth white, and his eyes carried a lazy, noble air.
Standing there, he looked absolutely stunning.
Mr. Ghost carefully examined him, revealing a pleased smile, “Indeed, Chenyi looks great like this.”
Meng Loudi had seen many beauties, but to him, Jiang Chenyi was the most beautiful of them all.
He was completely captivated by him.
He wondered what Chenyi would look like when wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes in the future.
He’d probably still look great.
Jiang felt a bit awkward, but hearing the affirmation, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The two left together.
As for why Mr. Ghost didn’t bother with styling?
With his naturally stunning, captivating appearance, did he really need any extra embellishment?
Jiang secretly thought: If Ba Lin were to release photos of their chairman, perhaps their stock value might rise a bit?
After all, in this day and age, people who judge by appearances are everywhere.
Hehe, Jiang was one of them too.
The two went down to the garage, where someone was waiting for them.
They got into the car and were driven to another lavish hotel.
Tonight’s charity gala would be held there.
They walked in together.
Then, under the watchful eyes of many, Jiang linked arms with Meng Loudi and walked in.
Jiang felt resigned; whatever happens, happens. If Ba Lin’s stock price drops, Mr. Ghost still has him, and he has savings, enough to get by for a while.
Under the watchful eyes of many renowned entrepreneurs and public figures, the new chairman of Ba Lin took a seat at the charity gala with a man by his side. It certainly drew attention, but it didn’t really matter. Even if word got out, whether it could actually harm Ba Lin’s reputation was uncertain. Besides, if investigated, it might just backfire.
Jiang and Mr. Ghost sat in the front row, waiting for the charity gala to commence. One of the events was an auction where people bid on trivial items, contributing substantial amounts to support social welfare activities. Every wealthy and successful person was eager to participate, but Jiang found it utterly uninteresting. Paintings auctioned for hundreds of thousands, cigars, and other such items were on offer. Mr. Ghost calmly raised his paddle, participating in a few bids, but ultimately, nothing ended up in his hands. His interest was minimal; he only wanted to watch Jiang Chenyi.
Jiang was speechless. He really couldn’t fathom why they were even there. After the tedious auction concluded, Meng Loudi nonchalantly walked over to the organizers with a card. He exchanged a few words, handed over the card, and returned.
Jiang looked at him, “What was that about?”
“That? Brownish asked me to do it, to bless all the employees of Ba Lin.”
“Oh, so what are we supposed to do now?” Jiang asked.
Meng Loudi replied, “Let’s make a run for it.”
“Huh?” Jiang’s eyes widened.
“Let’s escape. The next part is just socializing, and Ba Lin has sent others here. We can leave.” Meng Loudi took his hand and started walking out.
Jiang thought for a moment, and it seemed like a good idea. After all, it was quite dull there. Once outside, with the night breeze on their faces, Meng Loudi pulled him along the street. They ran like teenagers, freshly escaped from school, eager to break free. They sprinted quickly and breathlessly into the distance. The city was bustling even at night.
Gradually, they slowed down. Jiang burst into laughter, genuinely happy. Mr. Ghost stopped and looked at him. Jiang’s hairstyle was slightly disheveled. He reached out, smoothing Jiang’s hair, revealing his flushed face.
“Are you happy?” Mr. Ghost leaned in, his breath brushing against Jiang’s face.
“Very happy!”
Though running wildly down the street was a bit foolish, it was inexplicably joyful.
“Let’s go. Tonight is our time alone,” Meng Loudi said, holding his hand. “Let’s go grab some snacks.”
He had prepared diligently for this day, wanting to create beautiful memories for them both.
“Okay.”
Two grown men, hand in hand, still in their suits. Mr. Ghost hailed a taxi by the street and mentioned the destination. Jiang watched as the car drove in the opposite direction from where they had just run. He tugged at the man’s sleeve, “We ran the wrong way earlier.”
“No worries, it’s all about the feeling,” Mr. Ghost declared righteously.
Jiang Chenyi smiled. This dog man, how could he be so adorable? Ah, the feeling of being in love.
They got off at the entrance of the snack street, and amidst the lingering aroma, they walked forward.
Takoyaki1, with its sweet and chewy texture, topped with meat floss, mayonnaise, and bits of seaweed.
Bingtanghulu2, though Jiang Chenyi wasn’t fond of hawthorn, he grimaced as he tried one and handed the rest to Meng Loudi.
“Why aren’t you eating it?” Mr. Ghost asked.
Jiang puffed out his cheeks, disliking the sourness that made his teeth ache, “I don’t like it.”
“Then why did you?”
“You looked so eager, so I bought it for you.”
The only snack that truly caught Mr. Ghost’s attention was the bingtanghulu.
With a gentle smile, Mr. Ghost took the bingtanghulu and nibbled at it.
Jiang glanced around and pointed at a small noodle shop, “Let’s eat here!”
A bowl of noodles, not too much, leaving room for more snacks later.
“Alright.”
They entered the shop.
“I’ll have hot and sour vermicelli, Loudi, are you having shredded chicken noodles?” Jiang asked.
Mr. Ghost paused, “I’ll have the same as you.”
“No way, you don’t like strong flavors, right? Hot and sour vermicelli is both spicy and sour, and it burns your mouth,” Jiang said, swallowing his saliva, “Once it’s served, we can swap.”
“Okay,” Mr. Ghost chuckled.
How thoughtful his Chenyi was, always considering him.
Their orders arrived quickly.
They sat at a small table, the surface slightly greasy.
Jiang usually wouldn’t mind, but seeing Mr. Ghost’s face and his expensive suit, the young man took out a napkin and carefully wiped the table.
Then they began to eat.
The hot and sour vermicelli was sprinkled with peanuts, tofu puffs, and fresh green onions and cilantro, a modified version of the dish, exuding a tantalizing aroma that made one’s mouth water.
The shredded chicken noodles were topped with chicken strips, green onions, and cilantro, with a clear broth that smelled refreshing.
“Someday, I must go to Chongqing3 to taste authentic hot and sour vermicelli!” Jiang Chenyi declared with determination.
It was his ambitious dream.
“Sure, let’s go together someday,” Mr. Ghost replied with a smile.
“Yeah!” Jiang said, using his spoon to scoop up some broth and noodles, offering it to Mr. Ghost.
“Ah,” Mr. Ghost slurped the noodles, finding them hot, spicy, and sour.
He swallowed quickly, opened his mouth, and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Indeed, it’s very spicy and sour.”
Jiang grinned, “See? Now eat yours.”
Mr. Ghost reciprocated, mimicking Jiang’s actions, feeding him in return.
Amidst the surprised glances of onlookers, they calmly completed their affectionate gestures.
They were just showing a bit of affection, surely not bothering anyone, right?
After finishing their noodles, they strolled around the snack street, sampling various treats.
Jiang was now quite full.
Meng Loudi led him away from the snack street, and they followed the GPS to a cinema.
To watch a late-night horror film.
Thrilling, terrifying, and heart-pounding.
They held a soda and a bucket of popcorn.
Jiang thought for a moment, “I can’t eat anymore.”
“No worries, I’ll eat.”
They shared a bucket of popcorn.
Totally doable.
Watching the horror film, Jiang felt a bit tense.
After all, it was quite late, and there weren’t many people who would venture out to watch a late-night horror movie.
In the nearly empty cinema, a few scattered people sat here and there. Jiang Chenyi couldn’t quite tell if they were people or ghosts. The thought thrilled him, so he started munching on popcorn.
Mr. Ghost watched as the young man, who had earlier claimed he couldn’t eat anymore, began crunching away at the popcorn. Meng Loudi looked on with a fond smile, his face full of affection.
Jiang Chenyi focused on the movie screen, while Meng Loudi focused on Jiang Chenyi. Everything felt harmonious.
After the movie ended, there wasn’t much popcorn left. Jiang Chenyi let out a satisfied burp.
“Haha,” Mr. Ghost chuckled, covering his mouth.
Jiang blushed and glanced at him, “What’s so funny?”
“Chenyi is just adorable,” Meng Loudi said naturally, reaching out to pinch his cheek in praise.
What could Jiang Chenyi do? He could only feel a sweet warmth in his heart.
The two of them walked out together.
Jiang Chenyi asked, “So, what do we do next?”
Mr. Ghost thought for a moment and muttered to himself, “I should get my driver’s license.”
“What?”
“Nothing, let’s head to the hotel,” Mr. Ghost’s eyes sparkled.
Jiang was puzzled, “What?”
“Let’s go to the hotel,” Mr. Ghost took his hand and whispered softly.
“Honestly, after eating so much, I feel like I might throw up,” Jiang said seriously.
Because such actions could lead to severe consequences. After all, once you’re nauseated, it might stick with you for life.
“I know, we’ll just sleep,” Mr. Ghost reassured him, patting his head.
“Alright then,” Jiang agreed, not quite understanding what he was up to, but willing to go along if it made him happy.
So, they took a cab back to the Ba Lin Building.
Jiang was left speechless, feeling a bit disoriented.
What kind of strange move was this?
Footnote:
- Takoyaki(章鱼小丸子): A popular Japanese snack made of wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion, then brushed with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise, and sprinkled with green laver and dried bonito flakes.
- Bingtanghulu(冰糖葫芦): A traditional Chinese snack consisting of candied fruit, typically hawthorn berries (山楂, shānzhā), on a skewer. The fruits are coated in a hard, clear sugar syrup.
- Chongqing(重庆):A major city in southwest China, renowned for its spicy cuisine, particularly dishes like hot and sour vermicelli (酸辣粉).
