Chapter 42: The Little Ghost 10

10

A hand reached out—

Gu Chiming’s hand was pressed down.

'No.'

Ji Yue looked solemn.

Gu Chiming studied the long-haired beauty in the bathtub. Ji Yue’s hair had grown quite long, cascading past his waist; it was as smooth as silk soaked in water, flowing in strands like ink dispersing in a pool. His skin was pale, his chin sharp, and his damp, cold blue eyes were framed by fluttering lashes. The hem of his dress floated upward in the water, the pale blue fabric unfolding slowly like a fish tail, revealing the faint, elusive lines of his body beneath. Submerged in the water, Ji Yue reminded one of portraits in an art gallery—a merman rising from the depths, cold and reticent, born of the deep sea and belonging nowhere near this sweltering continent.

'Why did Gu Chiming suddenly stop talking? He’s staring at you so intensely. He isn’t fantasizing about something, is he?!'

Ji Yue was observing him in secret as well. Seeing that the man seemed to have no further intentions, he quietly pulled his hand away, stepped one foot onto the edge of the tub, and bent over, bottom sticking out, intending to slide out. Water streamed off his body, running down his calves to his ankles and dripping onto the tiles.

'Ji Yue, when will you break up with Zhong Xian? He is my friend, and I know you two aren’t a good match. He… he actually doesn’t deserve you.'

He was called out the very next second.

'Is he actually falling in love with you? His former best friend is worth nothing in his eyes now!' The System suddenly turned philosophical.

'I don’t want his love.'

Ji Yue only needed disgust. Only if the male lead’s best friend loathed this fierce ghost could the plot be pushed forward to reach the sealed ending. He was just a ghost; why would anyone love him?

'If only you could break up with him,' Gu Chiming said suddenly. It was like he was talking to himself, not expecting an answer.

Ji Yue’s movements stalled. In a flash of insight, within the fog-filled bathroom, a detective’s background music seemed to play. Details flickered through his mind—

'Finally, I understand everything.'

His non-existent glasses caught a glint of light. The male lead’s best friends, in order to break up this human-ghost couple, had decided—after the failed kidnapping attempts by Fei He and the others—to seduce the male lead’s 'girlfriend' in both dreams and reality. It wasn’t about immoral betrayal or love; it was actually a touching display of brotherhood, perfectly in line with the core themes of the original novel. So that was it; all his confusion vanished.

'You mean: they fought together in the infinite stream dungeons, entrusted their lives to one another, and now in the real world, to save their brother’s life, they are willing to sacrifice their bodies to sleep with his wife, sacrificing their virginity?!'

'Yes, that is the truth.'

'I still think they have a crush on you!'

'It’s not that.'

'Oh ho ho, my new program tells me I can combine the two answers: they want to save their brother and they’ve fallen for his wife! Being able to get close to the brother’s wife while also helping the brother get better—why wouldn’t they do it?'

Ji Yue floated out of the bathroom, dripping wet. He could no longer pass through walls or objects; the moment he touched the outer wall, his fingers were scalded, forcing him to retract them. The pure white walls revealed faint vermilion patterns, like a swarm of swimming earthworms, all warning him: you cannot leave.

Only then did he realize this was the 'imprisonment' mentioned in the original novel. The man behind him approached slowly, stopping right at his back.

'Uh oh, how do we keep him from f***ing you?!' the System shrieked in his mind.

Ji Yue didn’t know how to stop him either.

'Beat him up?'

'Uh, that might just make him more excited.'

If Ji Yue were an obedient type, he wouldn’t be himself. Before the words had even faded, a fist slammed into Gu Chiming. He was in the middle of putting on his bathrobe, one hand still fumbling with the belt, and he hadn’t had time to retaliate.

'Good chance!'

Ji Yue followed up with a right hook, aiming straight for his face. His clenched fist, with its slender joints, landed with more weight than one might expect. Gu Chiming tilted his head, the fist grazing his eye socket, only to be followed by a headbutt that knocked him over. It didn’t hurt as much as the coconut cannon in his dream, but it was certainly not the strength a mere little ghost should possess.

'Are you dead yet?'

A pale, dripping face leaned close. His long, pitch-black hair clung to his cheeks, and his blue eyes looked like rain-drenched lakes, his slightly upturned nose damp. He leaned in with a look of confusion, sniffing like a cat to see if its owner was dead.

…How cute.

'I’m fine.' Gu Chiming smiled.

'How is he still smiling after being hit? I told you!'

It would be better if he were dead. Ji Yue looked disappointed. 'I want to go home.'

'You can’t leave. This formation lasts for twenty-four hours.' Gu Chiming sat up and glanced at his clothes. 'I’ll go get you a towel.'

Ji Yue looked down at his own toes. The water from his body had soaked the carpet, leaving everything wet. He bent down to take off his shoes and socks; his calves were straight and snow-white, and the water dripping from the hem of his dress ran slowly down his legs, landing on the backs of his feet, glistening under the light like dew on a lotus leaf.

Gu Chiming pulled a large towel from the cabinet and walked over, about to drape it over Ji Yue, but his gaze lingered on him—the dress soaked through, the pair of damp, fair legs.

'I don’t have any clothes that fit you here,' Gu Chiming said in a flat tone. 'Wear mine for now?'

'Actually, that’s the goal, isn’t it! Let the brother’s wife wear his clothes!'

'…'

Ten minutes later.

Ji Yue had dried his hair and changed into a T-shirt and lounge pants. The clothes didn’t fit well; the sleeves were too long, and the pant legs dragged on the floor. He didn’t bother rolling them up, just let them trail behind him as he wandered around the villa, stopping here and there.

The three-story mansion had many rooms, all sumptuously decorated. Ji Yue studied the living room TV cabinet intently; he opened the door, stuck his head inside, and reached to the back. Why wasn’t there an entrance to the infinite stream world? He fell into deep thought.

'Because the entrance to the transit world isn’t here! You’re from the transit world; you can’t get in without a player’s invitation!' the System cackled.

Fine. Deep inside the cabinet, there was a blue yoyo? Ji Yue stared at it for a few seconds, reached in, and pulled it out. He took the yoyo and dropped it from the stairs. The ball fell, the string went taut, and it bounced back, spinning a few times by his hand; the sound of the string echoed through the empty living room. A black cat, appearing from nowhere, was attracted to it, crouching at his feet and staring at the ball as it flew up and down, its pupils dilated.

Ji Yue liked small animals, so he crouched down, tilting his head to meet the cat’s gaze. The man on the sofa remained motionless, occasionally turning a page of his book, eyes fixed straight ahead, lifting his teacup for a sip.

Ji Yue crouched at the landing, playing a game of 'cat paws' with the cat for a while. Then, he carefully stroked the cat’s back.

'…The fur is so soft, so warm,' he muttered quietly.

'"Gu Chiming watches from not far away as Ji Yue plays with the cat in his own home. What an innocent, naive little sister. The moment he thinks about how she is so cold to him but so devoted to his brother, his glasses glint under the light, and the damp, dark jealousy in his heart overflows by a gallon. Brother, you might as well rest in peace; I will take good care of your wife…"

This is what my new program calculated as some of Gu Chiming’s inner thoughts. You have to be careful!'

'?'

Ji Yue got distracted for a second, and the black cat flicked its tail and walked toward the window. 'Kitty…' he called out anxiously, wanting to follow. He had been crouching for too long, and his feet were numb; he stumbled the moment he took a step and fell backward—

A pair of men’s arms caught him steadily, the right hand around his waist, the other hand on his shoulder, holding him up.

'Careful.'

Gu Chiming spoke in a gentle, soft-spoken manner, his movements light as he steadied him before letting go. Ji Yue stood firm and glanced down; a mystery novel, *The Bishop Murder Case*, was resting on the stair railing.

'Do you like suspense and mystery too?' he asked Gu Chiming.

'It’s alright. I have some books at home.' Gu Chiming’s tone was normal as he picked up the book. 'Want to visit the study?'

Ji Yue was just about to nod when the System’s voice rang out:

'Wait, he’s going to pin you against your favorite mystery novel in the study and f*** you.'

He immediately straightened his head, said 'No' with a blank expression, and scurried away.

*Bang!*

The bedroom door closed. Ji Yue wandered in circles around the room. Can’t get out… He accidentally touched the wall and his hand was scalded again. He pounded the bed with a cold face, a red mark forming on his cheek from the pillow.

He was in the guest room; there wasn’t much furniture. How annoying.

The original novel stated that the fierce ghost was imprisoned, only to struggle and escape, regaining his freedom. 'Really, it doesn’t even write how he escaped!'

'The longer you stay here, the more likely you are to be f***ed! If you get f***ed, your identity as a boy will be discovered! If you’re discovered, the mission fails!'

Ji Yue sat up calmly, holding his phone, and used the flashlight to illuminate the windows, walls, and ceiling one by one. The moment he got close, he could see dense, red, earthworm-like binding patterns; he had no idea where Gu Chiming had found such a formation. Within the formation, a ghost couldn’t use its own evil energy.

How could he break it? He rubbed his chin and considered it seriously for a moment. Open the window? Still couldn’t get out.

'Waaah, how long are we going to be locked up here?'

Gu Chiming was baking downstairs; the oven light was on, and the sweet scent of cream drifted through the door crack. Based on his observations, the little ghost occasionally bought desserts at the bakery, tasting a bit of everything—he was quite the greedy ghost. He took off his oven mitts, set them on the counter, and was just about to check the oven temperature when he caught sight of a ghost crouching by the door.

Why was Ji Yue crouching there?

He was huddled by the door, hands folded on his knees, eyes fixed unblinkingly on the door panel, his gaze so intense it seemed capable of burning a hole through it. The moment his name was called, he turned his face away and said coldly, 'Let me go home.'

'This formation needs to be maintained for twenty-four hours. Don’t touch the walls.'

'No.'

'Eat some cookies later, sleep, and you can come out?'

'I don’t want your things.'

For the first time, Gu Chiming felt the stubbornness in his personality. Being his boyfriend meant enduring this kind of temperament. Gu Chiming said nothing more. Without his glasses, his face looked somewhat unfamiliar; losing the shield of the lenses, his brows and eyes carried a sense of coldness and aggression, especially when he looked at people with his head bowed like this.

Ji Yue met his gaze without a hint of fear. For a time, neither of them spoke. His brows were light, his complexion pale, his chin sharp—like a blank canvas. From this angle, his eyes were huge, a deep, rich blue, his lashes so thick they looked like they’d been lined. A single glance was enough to notice those eyes: stubborn, cold, the lashes and corners of his eyes tilted upward. It was as if he might launch a 'bang-bang' punch attack at any second.

Gu Chiming looked down at him. The stalemate felt like a silent contest. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the living room slowed, repeating itself until one lost track of how much time had passed. Gu Chiming put his glasses back on, eyes lowered, lost in thought. He walked to the door and turned the handle.

Damp, hot wind from outside rushed in, carrying a sliver of moonlight—the scent of freedom. Ji Yue bolted out.

He had only taken a step when he was called back. 'Xiao Yue, I’ll take you home.' The crisp sound of keys jingling came from behind him, his tone calm. 'It’s very late now.'

Ji Yue checked the time. This place was very far from the residential complex, and it would be exhausting to float all the way back. He thought about it and didn’t refuse.

In the car, the two were silent the whole way.

'You just stared at Gu Chiming for a minute and he let you out?' The System scratched its head. 'How strange! My new program can’t calculate the reason either.'

'I think it’s because the gaze of a fierce ghost strikes fear into humans.'

'Eh, really? But Gu Chiming is an infinite stream player; he’s seen plenty of monsters, hasn’t he?'

'That’s exactly how it is.' He nodded solemnly.

'Oh? Could there be a possibility that Gu Chiming has really fallen for you?'

'In that moment, he realized he couldn’t restrict your freedom, couldn’t force his love on you, stopped thinking about his brother’s life or the Yin Peach Blossom Spell—if his brother dies, so be it—and just wanted to send a little ghost home!'

'…'

The car stopped at the entrance of the complex. The driver didn’t unlock the doors, so Ji Yue couldn’t get out. Gu Chiming sat in the driver’s seat without a word, showing no emotion. Ji Yue didn’t understand.

'I need to go home to help Grandma collect cardboard. Let me out.'

He turned his head to say this. Before he could even finish the word 'car', he was suddenly held by the face and kissed.

Ji Yue’s face turned red instantly. …So hot, I’m going to be flattened by this kiss. He scrambled out of the car and walked away without looking back.

At the entrance of the complex, a few old ladies were folding cardboard. Ji Yue stopped and helped them tie up two bundles of waste boxes.

'Little sister’s face is so red, is it too hot?' the old ladies asked, looking at his face.

He nodded, grunting as he carried a stack of cardboard to the scrap dealer to count them. On the way back, the old lady offered Ji Yue an orange and said, 'Was that your new boyfriend just now? He was outside watching you fold cardboard the whole time!'

'Grandma, that was just a passerby.'

'Oh? Your previous boyfriend hasn’t come back tonight; I haven’t seen him.'

Ji Yue looked up at the apartment building; the windows on the twelfth floor were pitch black. Zhong Xian hadn’t come home—where had he gone?

Just then, his phone vibrated. He tapped the screen and saw a WeChat message from Gu Chiming.

[Zhong Xian’s friends are all hostile toward you, except for me.]

[If Chen Zhaozhen asks you out, don’t agree. ^^]

[Did I hurt you just now?]

Ji Yue ignored the last message and turned off the screen. He truly hoped the male lead and his friends were actually that hostile toward a fierce ghost. Please don’t like me, he thought coldly.

------

Chen Zhaozhen’s investigation into 'Xiao Yue' had never stopped. He called this ghost 'Xiao Yue' because he wasn’t sure if the name 'Ji Yue' was his real one. Since the trail had gone cold after the Haunted House, there was no more information regarding 'Xiao Yue'. Chen Zhaozhen collected information on supernatural events everywhere, even listening to local paranormal radio stations.

Today, he finally had an important lead. It started with reports online about a female ghost appearing in a remote local village: long hair, pale skin, young, very beautiful, wearing colorful, strange clothes like a young girl on the street. On some nights, she would wander the village roads, smelling flowers, touching cats; she wasn’t intentionally scaring people, and sometimes she would hide behind trees when someone approached.

This description was eerily consistent with Ji Yue, catching Chen Zhaozhen’s attention. The sightings were almost all in the same place, near the foot of the mountain.

Chen Zhaozhen arrived at the scene. It was already evening; the sunset dyed the entire foot of the mountain a deep, dark reddish-brown. He couldn’t even see where the road was, and in the distance, he could hear the noise of excavators digging. 'It was at night that a female ghost floated over here,' a villager pointed to a spot.

He thanked him, gave the uncle some money, bought a machete from the village, and hacked through the bushes, walking inward until he stepped on a piece of hardened gravel. Chen Zhaozhen looked down and saw a tombstone. A man surnamed Cheng, who died in the 26th year of the Republic of China.

Chen Zhaozhen cleared the bushes and weeds around the edge, straightened the broken tombstone, and walked further in. He saw several similar tombstones. They were crooked, weathered by time, the inscriptions mostly illegible, covered in moss and stained with mud. He crouched down and used the tip of his knife to clear the weeds in front of another tombstone. 27th year of the Republic of China. A few steps further, 27th year of the Republic of China. A few more steps, 26th year of the Republic of China.

Before long, it was dark, and the grass became impossible to distinguish. The villagers had all gone home, the construction site had quieted down, and the area became extremely still, just like a scene from a horror movie. Chen Zhaozhen held a flashlight in one hand, its beam swaying in the night, illuminating the names on the tombstones one by one. The camera recorded many details—all unfamiliar names, with death dates that were very close to each other. This forgotten graveyard might have been a communal cemetery in that era.

Republic of China cemetery, ghosts… Was this Ji Yue’s grave too?

Cicadas in the summer night were screaming, the heat making one feel restless, and damp sweat dripped down. Chen Zhaozhen wiped the sweat from his temples and crouched down. There were too many tombstones to identify one by one, so he decided to head back. He had only taken a few steps when he was tripped by a stone, his knee hitting a shrub root. A dull pain flared, and the flashlight slipped from his hand, flying off somewhere. He looked up and saw the beam sweep across several places, shining far into the bushes.

He stood up, leaning on the machete to endure the pain, and pushed aside the branches and leaves blocking his way. At a glance, the area pointed to by the beam revealed several scattered tombstones, almost blended into the mud, filthy. Chen Zhaozhen’s gaze stopped abruptly on one of the inscriptions.

The carving read two characters—'Ji Yue'.

His heart felt as if it were about to burst from his chest, uncontrollable. Chen Zhaozhen drove back to the city, his notebook filled with locations, times, and those names. Using this as a lead, he finally found some records from the Republic of China era in archives and collections.

A graduation register from a St. John’s missionary school in the 1930s. Among this batch of students, even the youngest were long gone, and there were no witnesses left. He only managed to buy a few old photos.

Black-and-white photos were popular back then; two of them were so mottled they were unrecognizable, the figures blurred into a mass. The only one where the person was clear was a solo portrait taken at the school gate. A black car was parked by the door, and a girl in a dark cheongsam stood beside it—a loose, long-cut style that revealed a bit of her ankles and shoes. Her long hair hung to her waist. Ji Yue was holding a book, facing the camera, his face tilted slightly upward, his features youthful.

Died in the 26th year of the Republic of China.

Chen Zhaozhen couldn’t calm his heart and could only silently close the photo.