Although Duan Gaozhi had told Lan Yu that he could take a few days off to rest, Lan Yu didn’t feel he was injured badly enough to lie in bed. By the next morning, he was already insisting on continuing his training.
When he had just joined the hotel, he went through three days of basic training. After Duan Gaozhi returned from studying at a large luxury hotel, his standards for employees had risen significantly. The servers he originally trained were now studying front desk reception and customer service work.
“You really don’t know how to use a computer at all? Have you never touched one before?” The front desk clerk in charge of teaching him stared at Lan Yu’s complete computer illiteracy in disbelief.
Lan Yu lowered his head, his face flushing red from his cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears.
“Then you won’t be able to handle this job.” The other person was clearly troubled.
“I can learn,” Lan Yu said quietly.
“You can at least type, right?”
Lan Yu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I think the keyboard should be similar to a phone. I can type… I might just be slow at first.”
“…Fine. I’ll teach you step by step. Write the process down on paper so you don’t forget.”
Lan Yu’s overly tense nerves finally eased a little because of the front desk clerk’s patient instruction. He took his lack of computer skills very seriously and soon began searching online for beginner courses.
But staring at the endless list of tutorials, Lan Yu slowly realized he couldn’t understand any of them.
What was he supposed to do?
“How is it? Getting the hang of things yet?” Duan Gaozhi’s voice suddenly came from ahead. Lan Yu jerked his head up, panic spreading across his face.
“He doesn’t know how to use a computer. Not at all. Looks like he’s never even touched one,” the front desk clerk cut in before Lan Yu could answer.
“He can’t use a computer? Then just teach him. If it’s really too much, write the important steps on paper first and walk him through everything. We’re not using anything complicated anyway.” Duan Gaozhi’s tone was gentle. He had always been lenient toward employees like Lan Yu, who worked seriously even without proper holidays.
“I’m teaching him,” the front desk clerk replied.
“Good. Thanks for the trouble. If you run into anything you don’t understand, you can ask me too.” Duan Gaozhi turned to Lan Yu.
Lan Yu pressed his lips together. Just before Duan Gaozhi could walk away, he blurted out, “I… I want to learn how to use a computer but there are so many online courses, I don’t know which one to pick.”
“So that’s what you were looking at just now?” The front desk clerk’s tone softened immediately. She had been ready to complain but now that she realized he was studying instead of playing on his phone, her attitude changed.
Lan Yu blinked at her innocently.
Duan Gaozhi came around the counter and stopped beside Lan Yu. “Let me see what you searched for.”
Lan Yu handed him the screen. Duan Gaozhi flipped through a few results and couldn’t help laughing. “You don’t need any of this. These are programming courses. What you need is the basics. Just search for ‘beginner computer tutorials.’ No need to buy any courses. Lots of apps have free, shared lessons. We’re running a hotel, not a tech company, there’s no need for anything that advanced.”
Lan Yu didn’t fully understand what the other person meant but he caught the phrase “beginner’s computer course,” and obediently nodded.
That night, Lan Yu finally took off his earphones and rubbed at his sore ears. The earbuds didn’t really fit him and wearing them for too long always made his ears ache. Now that he had taken them off, the lingering pain gradually eased.
He lifted his head and looked around the dormitory.
Even Lin Zixi, the one who usually stayed up later than everyone else playing games, was already asleep. The roommates who worked late night shifts had returned long ago and were already deep in their dreams.
Lan Yu had been studying this whole time, watching a long string of beginner tutorials. To his surprise, basic computer operations didn’t feel as impossible as he once imagined. He had memorized quite a bit.
But the regret was inevitable, he didn’t have a computer to practice on, couldn’t actually operate anything to solidify what he’d just learned.
He did want to learn, truly but in his life, a computer wasn’t a necessity. The only skills he needed were the ones used in the restaurant. Anything beyond that was a luxury.
And a computer… was simply too expensive. Even though he now had a little money saved up, making such a large purchase still felt impossible. He couldn’t bring himself to spend that much.
Lan Yu placed his phone down beside him and sighed softly.
There were too many things he didn’t know. He hadn’t even properly attended school growing up.
Strictly speaking, he was half illiterate, though thankfully, at least he could recognize all the characters.
Returning from the world of online tutorials to reality, he suddenly realized that he really needed to use the restroom.
Lan Yu stood up, grabbed the wooden stick he used as a makeshift crutch. It was originally part of a broken mop handle but as long as it worked, he didn’t care. He didn’t need to waste money buying an actual cane.
He rose and made his way to the bathroom, quietly switching on the light. The dorm’s bathroom was cramped but the narrowness actually helped, there were surfaces everywhere he could brace himself against.
After relieving himself, he turned to leave but his suspended leg suddenly bumped hard into the toilet bowl.
A sharp hiss escaped him before he bit down on his lower lip, forcing himself to endure the pain. Only after bending over for quite some time did the throbbing gradually ease.
He immediately took back the thought he’d had earlier. No, being smaller definitely wasn’t “better.”
Straightening again, Lan Yu braced himself on the sink and turned. His gaze lifted instinctively, completely unaware that this one simple glance would freeze him on the spot.
In front of the sink was a simple frameless mirror and in that mirror, aside from his own reflection, there was something else in the tiny bathroom.
Something black.
A black shape inside the mirror.
Behind the reflected version of him, pressed tightly against his back in the cramped space, was a vague, pitch black silhouette. It looked as though someone had scribbled layers and layers of charcoal across the center, the strokes repeated until they blurred into a soot-like stain.
The edges bristled with dark, needle-like granules, as if tiny graphite particles had been scraped loose and now floated in the air, absorbing every trace of light that came near.
Lan Yu’s mind went completely blank. He could only stare with wide, rigid eyes at that ink black shadow.
His roommates… they were all outside.
If he made a sound,
If he called out,
Someone should hear him.
Lan Yu tried to open his mouth but his courage refused to obey his thoughts. He didn’t even dare move his eyes to properly look at the thing behind him.
Then the blackness pressed over his nose and mouth.
Lan Yu vaguely felt something push into his mouth, pressing down on his tongue, smothering his cry before it could escape. In the mirror, all he could see was a mass of black mist engulfing his face.
What was covering him?
What was touching him?
The unknown made the terror in his heart skyrocket.
Before him, the mirror slowly fogged over. His reflection blurred and distorted. In a place untouched by wind or rain, an unmistakable chill seeped into the warm room.
On the fogged surface, strokes began to form, one line at a time.
Two characters emerged.
Go home.
Lan Yu’s mind was a blank slate but the writing didn’t stop there.
More strokes followed, shaping a familiar little symbol.
(T﹏T)
Lan Yu: “……?”
The writing began a new line, continuing across the fogged surface.
Miss you ♡
Lan Yu leaned forward in bewilderment, craning his neck to confirm whether he was seeing it correctly.
Left, right, up, down, no matter how he checked, the words didn’t change.
There really was a little heart next to it.
His English wasn’t good but he knew what “miss you” meant.
“Lan Yu.”
Suddenly, a sleepy voice drifted through the door. It was Lin Zixi, speaking in a hushed tone so the others wouldn’t wake.
“You’ve been in there for a long time. Are you okay?”
The sound snapped Lan Yu out of his daze. He instinctively turned toward the bathroom door, only to remember the black shadow behind him.
Whipping his head back around, he stared at the mirror again.
The mirror reflected nothing.
Everything was gone.
There wasn’t even the faintest hint of black mist left, there wasn’t even steam on the mirror anymore. It was wiped clean, utterly spotless, as if nothing had ever happened at all.
Lan Yu hurriedly pulled open the bathroom door and saw Lin Zixi standing right outside.
Leaning on the broken mop handle he used as a crutch, Lan Yu stepped out slowly. He reached out toward Lin Zixi, his hand trembling slightly.
His fingers caught the edge of Lin Zixi’s shirt, just a tiny patch of fabric and from that minuscule point of contact, Lan Yu finally felt the warmth, the grounding solidity, the unmistakable safety that only a living person could give.
“Your dorm is haunted?” When Duan Gaozhi heard this, he immediately frowned and looked straight at Lan Yu. “You’re the one who saw it?”
“Mm. Yes.” Lan Yu nodded obediently.
Lin Zixi jumped in quickly, “I saw it earlier too! Something black… something that looked really scary.”
“It… wasn’t that scary,” Lan Yu murmured.
His mind had been thoroughly scrambled by that heart drawn in the mirror. After returning to safety and thinking back on it, everything felt bizarre in a completely different way. The shadow hadn’t really shown him any malice. Yes, he was naturally terrified of ghosts but even ghosts acting cute were still ghosts.
Lan Yu scratched his cheek awkwardly, his expression oddly conflicted. “It drew a heart for me.”
Lin Zixi: “…Huh??”
Duan Gaozhi’s expression became extremely complicated. “Do you two have any complaints about your dormitory?”
“N–no. None at all,” Lin Zixi said blankly.
“I rented that place specifically because it was clean. Everything over there is in good condition. If you kids don’t maintain it properly, don’t come running to me causing trouble.” Although Duan Gaozhi said this, he didn’t sound stern at all.
He couldn’t, not with Lan Yu standing there saying a ghost had drawn him a heart. It didn’t sound like someone making trouble, it barely sounded real.
“But there is a ghost. Zhao He saw it too before,” Lin Zixi mumbled quietly.
“You must’ve been dreaming.” Duan Gaozhi’s voice sharpened; he was clearly unhappy now. “Stop filling your heads with nonsense. Sleep early, sleeping is better than anything. You keep staying up and hallucinating; what will you do when it affects your work?”
“Wait, no! Duan ge, we… ”Lin Zixi tried to defend himself but Lan Yu suddenly cut him off.
“It’s fine, Duan ge. Really, it’s nothing.”
Duan Gaozhi’s expression hardened. He stared at the two of them for a long moment before finally saying, “If you’re tired, rest for a few days. If you really can’t handle it, then go home for a bit. Stop thinking about superstitious nonsense and go back to clean your room.”
After Duan Gaozhi left, Lin Zixi whispered, “Why did you cut me off just now?”
“Maybe we really were dreaming,” Lan Yu said softly.
“You think everyone had the exact same dream?” Lin Zixi muttered, conflicted.
From Lin Zixi’s tone, which wasn’t fully certain, Lan Yu sensed that Lin himself didn’t seem entirely sure about his previous encounter. It was like he only pushed the story because Lan Yu said something first, so he just followed along.
“Maybe our dreams weren’t exactly the same. They just sounded similar,” Lan Yu suggested. After a moment of hesitation, he added, “Duan ge seemed a little upset just now… Do you think he meant that if we keep this up, we shouldn’t bother working anymore?”
“Huh? Did he say that?” Lin Zixi tried to recall, his brows furrowing. “I don’t think so?”
Lan Yu wasn’t sure either. Maybe he was just too sensitive but diverting the conversation early was always safer. What Duan Gaozhi said might’ve sounded like casual scolding to someone like Lin Zixi but to Lan Yu the meaning was different.
He couldn’t afford to misunderstand. He couldn’t afford to lose this job, this job that paid him well even though it had no rest days and even with his leg in a cast, Duan Gaozhi hadn’t fired him.
So Lan Yu had no intention of complaining. Not even a little.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Coffee first. Existential crisis later.
☕ 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?