Things didn’t die down the way Lan Yu had hoped. Instead, they suddenly took a turn for the worse.
People seemed especially interested in pseudo paranormal photos. What started as a single heavily edited, good looking image suddenly fermented online. Some people began claiming it was real and before long, it turned into a full blown authenticity debate.
A single blurry video would’ve been one thing but as if premeditated, several people came forward in a short span of time, claiming they had encountered ghosts inside Fulin Grand Restaurant.
Someone said they’d wandered into the back kitchen while looking for the restroom and found it eerily silent, like stepping into a separate dimension.
Someone else claimed the restaurant’s feng shui was off, it shouldn’t attract wealth yet business was booming, so it must be using some crooked methods…
They spoke with alarming conviction. Then, out of nowhere, a video began circulating online showing the arm of the troublemaking customer suddenly snapping.
The way that customer’s arm broke was far too bizarre. It pushed the already discussed haunting of Fulin Grand Restaurant straight to its peak. From the first incident to full scale viral fermentation, it had taken only five days.
“These influencers really have no shame,” a server complained. “I told them coming all the time would affect other guests. It’s like they didn’t even hear me.”
“Exactly and some of them come in and start filming everywhere. This is a restaurant, not a haunted house.”
“Someone even tried to go through the staff entrance into the back kitchen last night. I had to stop them.”
“It’s seriously annoying. Just creating extra work out of nowhere.”
Lan Yu stood obediently among the other servers. He’d never been good at speaking up in crowds and now he had even less idea what to say. With so many rumors flying around online, even he started to wonder, maybe the ghost encounters around him weren’t because of him alone. Maybe it was something everyone could experience?
Fulin Grand Restaurant was an old, established place that had been operating here for decades, with plenty of loyal customers. After Duan Gaozhi returned, the place had been renovated and service standardized, pushing it to new heights.
Business had been thriving, until a viral video suddenly drew waves of people who came only to check in, not to spend money. Baseless rumors multiplied and the once excellent dining environment grew noticeably quieter. Regular customers avoided coming during such chaos.
The restaurant mainly catered to banquets, gatherings, weddings, celebrations but people who came just to gawk never came in groups, let alone order full tables and with the constant disorder, weddings that used to be booked every few days suddenly vanished. Who would want to hold a happy occasion in a supposedly haunted hotel?
This period became an unusually slow one for the servers. It was rare for them to be gathered together chatting like this.
“Oh my god, the big boss is here. Hurry, disperse,” someone suddenly whispered.
This was the first time Lan Yu had seen the big boss up close. He was shorter than Duan Gaozhi, very heavyset, with a beer belly, a round face and short hair, the textbook image of a middle aged man. Duan Gaozhi walked beside him, the two speaking in low voices, both looking serious.
As Lan Yu lowered his head to mop the floor, the big boss stopped beside him. Lan Yu looked up, puzzled.
“Bai Yi?” the big boss said.
“His name is Lan Yu,” Duan Gaozhi corrected from beside him.
Facing the big boss, Lan Yu didn’t know whether to call him Boss, General Manager, or something else. All he could manage was a stiff, “Hello.”
Bai Yi was Lan Yu’s new nickname, born from the chain reaction triggered by that supposedly edited photo. Some customers who entered the restaurant filmed Lan Yu’s real appearance, sparking online interest in how he looked. Many people now came specifically to film him. Bai Yi, meaning “a white shadow that obscures the light” was actually a compliment to his appearance.
Soon after, livestreamers began entering the restaurant with phones held up, openly saying they were looking for Bai Yi. Lan Yu was forced to hide in the back kitchen.
“You were filmed, why didn’t you report it?” the big boss frowned, his tone unpleasant.
“I’m sorry,” Lan Yu said.
“This was an accident,” Duan Gaozhi said to the boss. “Didn’t I already explain? Someone was looking for trouble.”
The big boss said nothing more and left with Duan Gaozhi.
Although he hadn’t been openly scolded, Lan Yu could sense the boss’s dissatisfaction. Even though the whole incident was clearly caused by people stirring trouble, unlike Duan Gaozhi, the big boss might still hold some resentment. After all, from his perspective, Lan Yu was the beginning of everything.
“The boss is probably here to figure something out,” Lin Zixi whispered as he sidled over. He’d noticed it too. “It’s fine. Don’t worry. Brother Duan knows what he’s doing. He won’t let innocent people get dragged in.”
“Mm.” Lan Yu looked dispirited.
“If we were taking walk in customers, this would be pure traffic. You just standing there would be a living signboard. What a waste,” Lin Zixi clicked his tongue.
Before closing after the evening shift, Duan Gaozhi gathered everyone together.
“From now on, we’ll only have morning and evening shifts. No more full day shifts for the time being. If anyone asks questions, you just say you don’t know. After that…” Duan Gaozhi went through the instructions one by one. Lan Yu knew it wasn’t directed at him but his mood still sank. In the entire restaurant, he was the only one who consistently insisted on working full day shifts.
Lan Yu checked the schedule sent to the group chat. He was assigned to the evening shift tomorrow, which meant he could go back to his rental place tonight.
He waited by the roadside for a car but as he waited, Lan Yu absentmindedly sat down. The air was a little chilly. He tugged at his clothes, his mind drifting.
He wouldn’t get fired, right?
This wave would eventually pass but to the big boss, not making money right now was a serious issue. Lan Yu couldn’t help worrying that he might have angered him.
He didn’t want his first job to disappear for no reason, especially when he’d done so well.
With things blowing up like this, Lan Yu also worried that his family or Yi Lingxi might stumble across the news online. Since he’d run away from home, he definitely didn’t want his location exposed. The only consolation was the distance between them, finding him wouldn’t be easy.
“What a mess this all is.” Lan Yu looked down at his casted leg. Everything had been fine before, ever since he started running into ghosts, nothing but bad luck.
Suddenly, his phone received a message. Lan Yu glanced at it and saw it was from Zhou Hesheng.
Zhou Hesheng: Is it convenient to talk on the phone?
Running into his benefactor at such a low point instantly warmed Lan Yu’s heart. He called back right away. “Brother Zhou, why are you contacting me so late? Is something wrong?”
“Have you gotten off work?” Zhou Hesheng asked.
“I just got off a little while ago,” Lan Yu replied, puzzled. At this hour, Zhou Hesheng should have already been asleep. He glanced at the time and suddenly realized it was Friday. Zhou Hesheng had tomorrow off.
“I knew it. Lan Yu, how could you not tell me you were injured?” Zhou Hesheng demanded immediately.
Lan Yu stiffened. Zhou Hesheng knew?
“Brother Zhou, how did you find out?”
“You’re kind of famous online right now,” Zhou Hesheng said.
So that was it. Lan Yu quickly explained, “It’s just a minor fracture. It looks serious but once they put the cast on, I didn’t even need to stay in the hospital. I usually live in the dorms and rarely go home, I didn’t want you to worry, so I didn’t say anything.”
“You still should’ve told me. At least I could’ve brought you some supplements or something. If you needed someone around, you could’ve come back to stay with me for a few days,” Zhou Hesheng said right away.
Zhou Hesheng had always helped him whenever he was struggling. Lan Yu honestly didn’t know how to repay him. All he could do now was try not to make him worry, that was already the best Lan Yu could manage.
“It’s really fine. I went to change my cast earlier and even the doctor said I’m recovering really well. In a little while, I’ll be able to take the cast off,” Lan Yu said.
“You always keep things bottled up,” Zhou Hesheng said. The words sounded like a complaint but the concern was obvious.
Even though Zhou Hesheng wasn’t in front of him, Lan Yu kept his head lowered the whole time, listening obediently as if being scolded with great reverence.
Zhou Hesheng asked about what had been happening online. This time, after getting scolded a couple of times, Lan Yu didn’t hide anything at all and explained everything clearly.
“What kind of Bai Yi nonsense is that? Your name is Lan Yu. Lan Yu is such a nice name,” Zhou Hesheng said angrily on his behalf, clearly hearing the frustration Lan Yu couldn’t hide.
“I think my name sounds pretty nice too,” Lan Yu said softly.
“Pfft.” Zhou Hesheng finally laughed. Lan Yu couldn’t help but curl his lips up as well.
“How have you really been lately? If there’s anything, just tell your big brother,” Zhou Hesheng said.
Lan Yu wanted to say everything was fine but the words stopped at his lips. If he casually said he was fine, Zhou Hesheng definitely wouldn’t believe him. After a moment’s thought, Lan Yu found himself speaking anyway. “I’m kind of scared the boss might fire me.”
“Why?”
“I was the first one who got spread online and they even gave me a nickname. People came just to film me and it’s affected the restaurant’s business,” Lan Yu murmured.
“Hey, what are you afraid of? You didn’t do anything wrong. Didn’t it even bring traffic to the restaurant?” Zhou Hesheng said.
“But the restaurant’s revenue still went down,” Lan Yu said. Rationally, he knew it wasn’t really his fault but in reality, it still felt related to him.
“This is just bad luck falling from the sky. There are service jobs everywhere. If this one’s gone, you can just find another,” Zhou Hesheng comforted him.
Even so, Lan Yu couldn’t help feeling reluctant.
His first job. His first real social circle and he’d met Manager Duan, who treated him very well.
“If you’re short on money, I can help you out too,” Zhou Hesheng added.
Lan Yu pressed his lips together. “It’s okay, Brother Zhou. Even if I get fired, I still have enough money to live.”
“Exactly. We’ve got savings, we’ve got confidence. Service jobs are everywhere, don’t worry,” Zhou Hesheng’s straightforward reassurance made Lan Yu feel better. “You’re outside right now? On your way home?”
“Yeah.”
“Want me to come pick you up?” Zhou Hesheng asked.
“It’s okay, Brother Zhou.” Lan Yu looked up and suddenly noticed a taxi parked nearby. He hadn’t heard any sound at all, when had it stopped there? “There’s a car right next to me. I’ll just take a taxi home.”
“Alright then. Are you working tomorrow morning? I’ll come see you.”
Lan Yu opened his mouth, then said, “No need to trouble yourself, Brother Zhou. I’m planning to sleep in tomorrow.”
Zhou Hesheng paused for two seconds. “Alright then. You decide.”
Lan Yu hung up the phone and let out a sigh.
Sleeping in? He had never slept in, not once.
He just didn’t want Zhou Hesheng to go out of his way.
He stood up, gripping the wooden stick beside him and looked at the taxi parked not far away. It was pitch black, hard to make out clearly. Only the red “Vacant” sign glowed conspicuously.
Was the driver inside? Why weren’t the headlights on?
Lan Yu cautiously took a step forward.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
You read the chapter. They wrestled with the words. Seems fair, no? (￣▽￣)
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Who wants to go back to be a minor plot device?Chapter 2 · StartChapter 3 · I’m terrified of ghostsChapter 4 · Do ghosts exist in this world?Chapter 5 · ShadowChapter 6 · There’s something wrong with how this book is dressedChapter 7 · The ghost drew a heart for himChapter 8 · Make troubleChapter 9 · Don’t scare me!Chapter 10 · I’d rather be scared to death than go backChapter 11 · Want to eat together?Chapter 12 · A cleaning ghostChapter 13 · Regret it now?Chapter 14 · ParentsChapter 15 · Find FaultChapter 16 · Ghostly photos?Chapter 17 · Nickname: White ShadowChapter 18 · A haunted taxi?Chapter 19 · Extreme fear turns to angerChapter 20 · I used to be a messChapter 21 · Best friendChapter 22 · Turning pointChapter 23 · The threat of ghostsChapter 24 · It’s not a ghost, it’s eerinessChapter 25 Part 1 · First time entering the eerie houseChapter 25 Part 2 · First time entering the eerie houseChapter 26 · Borrow moneyChapter 27 · He’s jealousChapter 28 · RetributionChapter 29 · Revenge from a Strange SourceChapter 30 Part 1 · How could you be so carelessChapter 30 Part 2 · How could you be so carelessChapter 31 Part 1 · What would happen if I ran away from home again?Chapter 31 Part 2 · What would happen if I ran away from home again?Chapter 32 Part 1 · Firmly uphold the right to privacyChapter 32 Part 2 · Firmly uphold the right to privacyChapter 33 Part 1 · The brother who brought down death to protect his belovedChapter 33 Part 2 · The brother who brought down death to protect his belovedChapter 34 Part 1 · Being secretly massaged by a shadowy figure in publicChapter 34 Part 2 · Being secretly massaged by a shadowy figure in publicChapter 35 Part 1 · Go to my dear older brother and sister’s bedroomChapter 35 Part 2 · Go to my dear older brother and sister’s bedroomChapter 36 Part 1 · Being favored by everyone in the eerie houseChapter 36 Part 2 · Being favored by everyone in the eerie houseChapter 37 · We must protect our precious childChapter 38 · It’s too tragic, I can’t bear to watch anymoreChapter 39 · Because of the unique companionshipChapter 40 · The first meeting with the admirer of the protagonistChapter 41 · It’s eerie, but they’re all real family members!Chapter 42 · Using the eerie house to get a cheat codeChapter 43 · The baby’s crying after getting drunk is so cute!Chapter 44 · A traitorChapter 45 · All family members can help the baby.Chapter 46 · When the family is happy, they will hug their waistChapter 47 · Ear piercings were adornedChapter 48 · Treasure are the most precious itemsChapter 49 · Revenge is not an easy thing to doChapter 50 · Because I couldn’t see his faceChapter 51 · One of his brothers is a continuous mountain rangeChapter 52 · How could we possibly run into characters from the original storyChapter 53 · The gems my brother gave me piled up into a small mountainChapter 54 · One can feel an overwhelming sense of superiority.Chapter 55 · Sleeping with a shadowy figure means you won’t be afraid of ghosts at allChapter 56 · The fireworks display to celebrate my baby was absolutely devastating!Chapter 57 · It wasn’t this restaurant that treated us; it was another oneChapter 58 · His super-rich older sister paid for his treat!Chapter 59 · He’s different from beforeChapter 60 · It’s all so weird, isn’t it normal for people to want to disappear?Chapter 61 · Wen JieChapter 62 · Has the identity of this strange child been discovered?Chapter 63 · Those who make their child angry are unforgivableChapter 64 · Being too inquisitive about other people’s private affairs will bring you troubleChapter 65 · A person not to be covetedChapter 66 · Can you bridge the racial divide by staying close to your family?Chapter 67 · What to do if my child doesn’t want to celebrate their birthday?Chapter 68 · The baby is also a second-generation, a bizarre second-generation!Chapter 69 · We are clearly each other’s only friendsChapter 70 · The House of Eeries really did throw a ridiculously huge birthday partyChapter 71 · Why would he feel competitive towards his friend?Chapter 72 · Try to appease the jealous shadow.Chapter 73 · If you’re going to take revenge, you should do it in front of him!Chapter 74 · Now that things have come to thisChapter 75 · My baby’s travel is strange and worryingChapter 76 · One of the older brothers who crawled into the suitcase and followedChapter 77 · He resolutely refused to leave his abandoned brotherChapter 78 · I don’t want my baby to see my terrifying true formChapter 79 · I love hugging you like this.Chapter 80 · It’s a good thing to know you.Chapter 81 · Does my brother also want to go out and have some fun?Chapter 82 · His Older brother?Chapter 83 · Xiao Ming!Chapter 84 · I’m doing great as long as the original text doesn’t go crazyChapter 85 · What’s there to be afraid of when everything’s shrouded in eeriness?Chapter 86 · Let’s have a fight for the sake of the original ownerChapter 87 · How did they know he wasn’t the original owner?Chapter 88 Part 1 · Was the shadowy figure injured?Chapter 88 Part 2 · Was the shadowy figure injured?Chapter 88 Part 3 · Was the shadowy figure injured?Chapter 89 Part 1 · To inflict countless severe emotional blows on someoneChapter 89 Part 2 · To inflict countless severe emotional blows on someoneChapter 91 Part 1 · He was like a human in a supernatural taleChapter 91 Part 2 · He was like a human in a supernatural taleChapter 92 · Someone is secretly using underhanded tacticsChapter 93 · The right people I once followedChapter 94 · Let go of your prejudices against the protagonist.Okay! How come on one complain that we can’t right click the link and open a it in a new webapge??Chapter 95 · Favoritism from his current friendsChapter 96 · The baby is going to marry into our familyChapter 97 · The idea of falling in loveChapter 98 · Want to replace your baby?Chapter 99 · What’s wrong with double happiness?!Chapter 100 · It’s just a matter of raceChapter 101 · I need to balance dating and studying!Chapter 102 · After the shadowy figure gained a physical bodyChapter 103 · Confess your love to the eerie house!Chapter 104 · Even with such pampering, your baby still lacks a sense of security.Chapter 105 · How much help did he receive that he didn’t know about?Chapter 106 · You are not worthy to be the middlemanChapter 107 · Is there anything wrong with me being petty?Chapter 108 · You can have both love and studies!Chapter 109 · Suppressed and restrained desiresChapter 110 · What does an unforgettable yet ordinary date need?