Chapter 17

It was half an hour later when Ma Ao finally got his phone back. He had expected the live stream to have exploded in chaos by then, given how long he had been missing. Who knew what kind of uproar the viewers might have caused? But more than the live stream, he feared the possibility that he might never shake off the nickname “Little Coward Ma.”

He had come to clear his name, only to cement his reputation as a coward instead…

This haunted house was truly eerie. He had never tripped before, yet he managed to fall twice in the same spot!

Ma Ao was anxious, wishing he could turn back time. Even if he had to bear the label of a coward, it would be better than embarrassing himself again. However, to his surprise, when he got his phone back, the barrage of comments, though lively, had taken an unexpected turn.

“Waaahhh.”

“Ahhh, Mom, I finally got out, waaah, I was scared to tears!”

“You won’t believe it, but I actually lay in a coffin for a bit.”

“Ahhh, finally out! The air outside is so refreshing!”

“…Am I the only one curious about who that person was? How strong must their heart be to lie quietly in a coffin for so long, in such darkness? Even without claustrophobia, anyone would be scared!”

“Yeah, it was terrifying, waaah, scared me to death, waaah.”

“That damn Ma Ao only cared about escaping himself and didn’t come back for us right away. So heartless! Such a jerk!”

“Heartless +1!”

“Jerk +1!”

“………”

What on earth was all this? Ma Ao was dumbfounded.

No one was criticizing him; instead, they all turned into whimpering creatures, with a sense of relief after surviving a disaster. So, what exactly had the viewers experienced during the half-hour he was gone???

Ma Ao shivered. For some reason, he had no desire to delve deeper into it.

…

While Ma Ao was in the midst of chaos, Gu Feiyin was quietly and diligently working inside the coffin. It wasn’t until almost the end of her shift that the Neighbor Miss and the Old Lady finally arrived, both looking a bit hesitant to meet her gaze. However, Gu Feiyin didn’t notice and was still planning how to cut down trees to make coffins.

Moreover, the place was quite a distance from the suburbs, requiring a bus ride followed by a trek over the hills.

Nowadays, every tree in the city was documented and monitored, so she didn’t dare cut them down recklessly, fearing she’d be caught as a tree thief. So, she couldn’t touch the city trees and had to go to the mountains, where there were plenty of trees. Cutting one or two quietly shouldn’t be noticeable…

Knowing she’d be doing physical labor up in the mountains, Gu Feiyin was aware of how weak her human body was, the type that would feel famished if she skipped a meal. She couldn’t afford to slack off, so she led the two ghosts to buy a box lunch at the hospital entrance, along with two buns to stave off hunger later.

Her boss was particularly kind, giving her a six-yuan bonus today and praising her, making her the envy of the entire special department. Soon, she’d have a coffin to sleep in again, and life was indeed getting better and better.

Just as she finished her box lunch and was about to leave, several ambulances arrived, flashing their red lights, startling her to the roadside.

She had seen ambulances before, but they usually came one at a time. Seeing two or three in succession was rare, indicating a major accident. She thought about it a bit and saw the Red-Dressed Ghost floating out of the hospital. The ghost cast a subtle glance at the Neighbor Miss and the Old Lady, who also looked at her before all three averted their eyes, their pale faces acting as if they’d never seen each other.

The Red-Dressed Ghost cleared her throat and asked, “Where are you all headed?”

Gu Feiyin replied, “To the mountains. Do you want to join us?”

The Red-Dressed Ghost shook her head, “I’ll pass. I’m staying to watch the excitement.”

“Excitement? What excitement?”

“You don’t know? Haven’t you heard?”

Gu Feiyin looked puzzled, “I don’t know. Heard what?”

The Red-Dressed Ghost exclaimed, “You really don’t know? It’s Sudi! Sudi has been kidnapped!”

Gu Feiyin was indeed shocked, “Kidnapped? Who would be so bold?”

…Is that the point? Shouldn’t the focus be on Sudi? Oh, she forgot that Gu Feiyin probably didn’t even know who Sudi was, haha.

The Red-Dressed Ghost gave Gu Feiyin a few exasperated looks. How could she forget that this was someone so poor that even a skewer of lamb was saved for a midnight snack, which ended up upsetting her stomach! A phone was out of the question, and she wasn’t into celebrities either. Her biggest daily concern was whether to have a midnight snack-a single skewer of lamb.

The Red-Dressed Ghost shrugged, “Kidnappings aren’t unheard of. People will do anything for money these days.”

Gu Feiyin nodded in agreement, “True…” Just like her, the effort and energy she put into finding a job and earning some money were immense.

The Red-Dressed Ghost sighed, “Sudi’s kidnapping is causing an uproar. Most of those who just entered the hospital are probably Sudi’s fans. Upon hearing about his kidnapping, they fainted from excitement, and a few got into car accidents on their way to Sudi’s company.

“These kidnappers are truly something else. They’ll risk everything for money, daring to target anyone. I heard the kidnappers demanded fifty million from the company, or they’d kill him. Sudi’s fans have already started crowdfunding and praying.”

Gu Feiyin: “…Fifty million?! That’s a lot!” She counted on her fingers to see how long she’d have to lie in a coffin to earn fifty million, but found she couldn’t even calculate it. Her brain was tied in knots-it would take an eternity!

“Only fifty million, it’s not much. Sudi could earn that back just by doing a few variety shows.”

“…?” What kind of amazing person was this, earning money so easily and quickly!

“Of course, the fear now is that the kidnappers might do something to Sudi. With the situation so big, the police are all involved. The kidnappers, daring to kidnap Sudi, must be those who value money over life. Killing him to silence him isn’t impossible,” the Red-Dressed Ghost said. “You all go ahead. I’m staying to witness history!”

With that, the Red-Dressed Ghost disappeared, likely off to join the excitement.

Gu Feiyin, with the two ghosts, boarded a bus to the suburbs, her mind still revolving around the fifty million. It was indeed a huge amount…

Half an hour later, as darkness fell, Gu Feiyin got off the bus, wrapped in her cotton coat, shivering in the biting wind. She was freezing, while the two behind her were unaffected, not needing to move a step, floating effortlessly, much to Gu Feiyin’s envy!

To find a tree that wouldn’t be noticed if cut down, Gu Feiyin led the two ghosts into the mountains. The trees there were tall and straight, perfect for making coffins. However, with the darkening sky and the cold, along with patches of unmelted snow on the ground, she found it hard to continue. Turning around, she reluctantly asked the Neighbor Miss and the Old Lady for help, feeling a bit embarrassed, but she really couldn’t go on, “Could you carry me for a bit?”

Neighbor Miss: “…”

Old Lady: “…”

The two ghosts stared at her for a moment, rolling their eyes in disdain.

…Five minutes later.

Gu Feiyin lay on the Neighbor Miss’s back, gratefully saying, “Thank you.”

Neighbor Miss: “…”

…