A’Sheng was a little slow to react, so Mu Bai shoved the incense stick into his mouth.
The two little ghosts, their heads pressed together, squatted at the construction site gate eating incense like children sharing a treat.
Mu Bai’s cheeks puffed up as he chewed. After swallowing the incense, he said very seriously, “Next time you wear shoes, you need to put them on faster.”
The water ghost, with his perpetually slack expression, didn’t quite understand why a ghost like him should even bother with shoes.
But since he had always listened to the person in front of him, he nodded slowly anyway.
Yan He stood off at a distance, watching the gray little ghost give away his best incense stick to the water ghost, leaving himself with the cheap, choking ones. He heard the water ghost call the bed-pressing little ghost “Mu Bai.”
The two seemed close, so close that even when speaking, the little ghost tilted his head toward the water ghost, whispering into his ear as if sharing a secret.
Yan He rolled the prayer beads in the hollow of his hand, his eyes fixed without wavering on the distant bed-pressing little ghost.
The incense burning in the construction site wasn’t expensive. Most of it was the mass-produced paper money churned out by printing factories.
The smoke carried a pungent, acrid scent that clung to the nose; breathing it too long left a bitter sting in the throat.
Yan He’s gaze didn’t move. That ghost who usually stayed in a villa, feeding on the spiritual energy of someone with an extreme yin constitution, was now content to crouch here eating this low-grade, suffocating incense.
A gust of wind suddenly stirred the ashes of the burnt paper money. Ash and soot scattered in the air, while clusters of little ghosts gathered in twos and threes.
Abruptly, Yan He’s fingers stopped their slow turning of the beads. His eyes lifted, his cold expression unreadable as ever.
A moment later, he slid the beads from the hollow of his hand up to his wrist bone, rose to his feet, pulled open the car door, and walked around to the other side of the vehicle.
Inside the car, Hong Hui seemed to sense something. He lowered his head to glance at the prayer beads in his hand and immediately noticed the heat radiating from them, proof of the presence of a malicious ghost.
Not long after, the black car door opened, and a vicious ghost was dragged out and thrown to the ground, its mouth sealed shut.
A string of prayer beads constricted around the ghost’s neck, forcing its form to reveal itself. Its feral face twisted in agony, mouth wide open but unable to make a sound.
A tall man stood calmly nearby, his sharp profile cut in half by shadow. Lowering his head, he slowly wiped his fingers clean, his expression deep and unreadable.
Hong Hui, however, noticed something amiss. “This malicious ghost doesn’t seem to be here for you,” he said.
The ghost, its neck strangled by prayer beads, writhed in pain yet nodded furiously in agreement.
Hong Hui turned to look toward the gate of the construction site, where the paper money had finished burning. His voice grew thoughtful: “It seems this malicious ghost came after that group of little ghosts eating incense.”
Malicious ghosts could harm the living, but they could also devour their own kind to grow stronger.
Yet those who consumed their fellows always carried heavier demonic energy, making them easier prey for the underworld’s wardens.
Yan He raised his eyes, glancing briefly at the clusters of little ghosts nearby, and spoke in his usual clipped manner: “It’s yours.”
Hong Hui chuckled, rummaging through his bundle for tools. “Since when did you care about this sort of thing? You used to always ignore it. Why the sudden change of heart today?”
The man turned, already heading back to the car. “Do a good deed,” he said.
“Earn myself some merit.”
The malicious ghost, lying on the ground with a contorted face, was stunned: “???”
He had only been hiding in the shadows, waiting for a chance to snatch a few weak little ghosts as usual. He hadn’t even gone near the man, let alone provoked him!
Seeing the ghost’s bewildered expression, Hong Hui scratched his head. He too felt the explanation was a bit unconvincing, so he cleared his throat and averted his gaze.
Elsewhere, amid the ashes of burnt paper money, the little ghosts were still huddled together.
Suddenly, the water ghost lifted his head, frowning as if he had sensed something.
He smelled the aura of a certain notorious malicious ghost, the one from that old shop, infamous for strengthening himself by devouring his own kind.
In a low voice, he told Mu Bai beside him, “Let’s go.”
Mu Bai squatted there, tilting his head. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” the water ghost replied. “I just want to go back.”
Mu Bai glanced at the eerie construction site and nodded. “Going back’s good too,” he muttered. “I kept feeling a chill earlier. Like something was staring at me… creepy.”
As they rose to leave, the water ghost cast a casual glance at a black sedan parked in the distance.
The figure of a tall man stood faintly visible, speaking with someone inside the car.
But in the next instant, as though sensing something, the man lifted his head and gazed in their direction, expression calm and indifferent.
Even separated by the distance, the water ghost’s instincts, honed from years of skirting death, kicked in. His hand instinctively closed over the dagger at his waist.
Only after realizing that the man was merely human, not a ghost, did he slowly release his tension, relaxing his grip.
Mu Bai patted him curiously. “What are you thinking about, looking so serious?”
“Nothing,” the water ghost replied, face blank as ever.
Mu Bai knew the ghost in front of him was like a sealed jar, quiet, unyielding, impossible to pry open. So he didn’t press further.
Instead, under the moonlight, he stretched lazily and called out in his clear voice to the one behind him: “Hurry up, walk with me….. ”
The water ghost shook his head. “I’ll walk behind you.”
That was the proper place for him to be.
Mu Bai simply fell back a few steps, draping an arm around the water ghost’s shoulders, tugging him along in a playful rush. “What’s with all this front and back nonsense? Come on, hurry!”
It wasn’t until they reached the graveyard that Mu Bai suddenly smacked his forehead. “Oh no!”
The water ghost turned to him. “What is it?”
Mu Bai looked a little regretful. “I said I’d take you to eat incense first, and then go back to press my human. But I completely forgot.”
The water ghost thought for a moment, then said, “Then just go tomorrow.”
Mu Bai shook his head like a rattle-drum. “No way. My bed-pressing partner is obedient and timid. If another ghost slips into his house, they’ll be able to feed on his energy too. What if I end up having to fight another ghost for him?”
The little ghost grew nervous as he spoke. Leaping to his feet, he prepared to head back toward the city.
Before leaving, he looked earnestly at the water ghost and promised, “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely get you a room with the big swimming pool on the third floor!”
Without waiting for the water ghost’s reply, he zipped off, vanishing from the graveyard in a blur.
The water ghost opened his mouth slowly, but the words he meant to say never left his lips.
With a sigh, he thought to himself that he didn’t need a big swimming pool at all.
Meanwhile, Mu Bai flitted like the wind from the graveyard to the villa. With practiced ease, he slipped in through the window straight into the living room.
He hadn’t shown up at all the day before, but now that he finally came to the villa, the very first thing Mu Bai did was wander in wide circles around the living room.
Only after pacing about did he confirm, there was no scent of any other little ghosts lingering in the house.
Relieved, Mu Bai let out a long breath. Just as he settled comfortably onto the sofa, however, the sharp smell of incense suddenly tickled his nose.
His nostrils twitched. At first he assumed the scent still clung to him from the incense he had eaten earlier at the construction site gate.
Lifting his wide sleeves, he sniffed each one carefully, first left, then right. Nothing. The incense smell wasn’t coming from him.
His eyes widened slightly, his nose flaring as he took a few more cautious breaths. That was when he realized, the scent was drifting up from beneath the sofa.
Alarm bells rang in his little ghostly head. Immediately, he dropped flat onto the floor, pressing his face close to the ground as he stretched one hand beneath the sofa.
His bony fingers groped about, rattling against the floorboards, fumbling this way and that for a good long while until he actually felt something solid.
Slowly pulling it out, the little ghost blinked down at the object in his hand, stunned.
It was incense.
Not ordinary incense either. The fragrance was rich, thick, and strangely enticing, and its color looked far more vivid than the cheap sticks burned at the construction site.
Since there were no other ghosts in the villa, it could only be something left behind by the house’s owner, offerings from past festivals and rituals.
Mu Bai’s tongue darted out, moistening his lips. He blew away the dust on its surface and, curiosity winning out, opened his mouth and bit down on the incense.
Yan He, fresh from his shower, entered the living room only to see the little ghost crouched on the floor with his rear stuck comically in the air, reaching under the sofa as if digging for treasure.
Before he could even react, the little ghost’s search was rewarded, he pulled out a stick of incense.
The sight made Yan He’s eyelid twitch sharply.
He remembered. The last time, he had kicked a ghost hand under that very sofa. Most likely, the incense had been hidden then, left forgotten until now.
Yan He had only taken two steps closer when he saw the little ghost bow his head to sniff the incense curiously then, without hesitation, bite down on it.
The very next second, the little ghost’s face scrunched up miserably.
He spat the incense back out in a rush, coughing violently as tears sprang to his eyes and the tip of his nose flushed red.
Yan He’s first instinct was to step forward and pat the boy’s back. His hand was halfway raised before the realization struck, he couldn’t touch the little ghost.
His movement stalled. Awkwardly, he withdrew his hand and stood silently where he was.
On the floor, the little ghost sat coughing and hacking, throat burning, the bitter aftertaste refusing to leave.
He had no idea the incense carried the rot of a malicious ghost who had once fed on humans.
To him, it was simply “old incense,” stale and foul-tasting, leaving his mouth and throat unbearably raw.
Yan He’s gaze softened despite himself. The little ghost’s glossy almond-shaped eyes, usually so dark and lively, now drooped listlessly.
When he sniffled, he looked pitiful, like a small dog with drooping ears, utterly lacking in spirit.
Slumped on the dining table, only half his face visible, he seemed to have no energy for anything.
Yan He knew exactly how disgusting the corruption left behind by man-eating ghosts could be. He could imagine the taste clinging to the little ghost’s throat, and how wretched it must feel.
So he turned on his heel, went back to the bathroom, and left the prayer beads that usually circled his wrist casually on the sink.
When he returned, a faint sweetness began to diffuse naturally through the living room air. It wasn’t strong, just a subtle fragrance, cool and clean, with a sweetness reminiscent of the iced sour plum soup Mu Bai loved drinking in summer.
Almost at once, Mu Bai’s retching eased. The nauseating bitterness faded, replaced in his nose by that cool, refreshing sweetness.
His small nose twitched. Almost instinctively, he floated toward the source, sticking close to Yan He’s side.
The nearer he drew, the stronger and purer the scent became. It drilled straight into his nostrils, stirring hunger in him again, even though he had just eaten incense not long ago.
A hazy thought flickered across his mind: these days, Yan He smelled more and more delicious.
And not just metaphorically delicious. He meant it literally.
On the sofa, Yan He rested one hand against his jaw, slowly turning the pages of a book. He lingered on each page so long it seemed ages before he finally turned it.
The little ghost perched on his shoulder, watching intently at first.
But as the minutes dragged by, impatience grew. More than half an hour passed, yet the man showed no sign of going to bed.
The fragrance rolling off him was far more tempting than usual! So fresh, so mouth-watering. Yet Yan He simply sat there, calm and immovable.
It was like being seated before a banquet table, every dish steaming hot and fragrant, yet no one lifted a single chopstick.
Mu Bai could only drool inwardly over the feast, unable to taste even a bite.
He stretched his head forward, peeking, trying to guess when the man would finally get up and retire to bed.
But all he saw was the downward angle of Yan He’s eyes and the high bridge of his nose.
Of course Yan He knew what the little ghost was thinking.
The boy was so restless he nearly flipped the book’s pages for him, muttering in his ear about why he wasn’t going to sleep already.
Yan He turned another page leisurely. Inwardly, his thoughts were cool and steady: That little ghost already ate his fill outside, sharing incense with that stray ghost called A-Sheng.
If he’s already eaten, then there’s no rush.
If even that wild ghost didn’t mind accepting incense from him and didn’t care what nonsense he put into his mouth, then why should I hurry?
So he took his time.
Half an hour later, Mu Bai, still perched on Yan He’s shoulder, was so drowsy he found himself suddenly in the bedroom without realizing when Yan He had even moved.
Yawning, the little ghost hopped down from Yan He’s body and sat cross-legged on the large bed, peering at the man sleepily.
Yan He observed him for a moment. The boy no longer looked sick or weary, just comfortably tired.
Satisfied, Yan He left briefly to fetch his prayer beads from the bathroom, then returned, slipping onto the bed as though nothing at all had changed.
The little ghost, still half-asleep, immediately leaned against him again.
After a while, though, he frowned faintly. Something felt… off.
Yan He didn’t smell as good as before.
But he quickly dismissed the thought. Impossible. No one’s scent shifts back and forth like that.
Settling down, he rubbed his head against the soft bedding and resumed waiting patiently for Yan He to fall asleep.
At three in the morning, the curtains stirred with a faint breeze.
Just as always, the little ghost, well-fed and content, half-squinted his eyes and drifted away with a satisfied look.
As he left, his last thought was simple: The villa’s spiritual energy is the best. The incense I scavenge outside may fill my stomach, but it’s nothing compared to this taste.
Meanwhile, on the pale gray bed, Yan He lay with eyes closed, his breathing steady, his dark brows and features softened in sleep.
He seemed to be dreaming a long dream.
In it, paper money and gold ingots burned in a lonely corner outside the construction site. Flames flickered against the night, casting everything into stark relief.
He saw the small, gray-clad ghost crouched there, chasing after the dying embers of paper money.
Inevitably, the ghost inhaled too much ash and choked, coughing hard, the tip of his nose reddening pitifully.
At his side, Hong Hui twirled his prayer beads, sighing with sympathy. “Whose little ghost is this? Looks like he’s starving.”
Yan He watched his dream-self step forward.
He crouched down, one hand cupping the little ghost’s cheek, forcing his mouth open.
Sliding two fingers past the boy’s damp lips, he pried open the soft teeth and carefully pulled out the bits of incense he had foolishly eaten.
The little ghost tipped his head back, nose red, long lashes wet with tears. He offered no resistance, letting Yan He pluck the foul incense from his mouth.
In the dream, Yan He thought to himself, just like a child.
Hungry, and snatching at anything to eat.
Someone has to watch over him
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ChaptersChapter 1 · New TargetChapter 2 · Pervert Little Ghost?Chapter 3 · Little one is MischievousChapter 4 · New MountChapter 5 · Fake Master?Chapter 6 · Blanket StolenChapter 7 · A presentChapter 8 · Rhino HornChapter 9 · Clinging like body PillowChapter 9 · Meeting Old FriendChapter 11 · Just like ChildChapter 12 · New AddictionsChapter 13 · Jinxed StarChapter 14 · Creeping out the old IdiotChapter 14 · Creeping out the old IdiotChapter 15 · New Set of ClothesChapter 16 · Big Wife, Little WifeChapter 17 · Chapter SE 17: Raising as A SonChapter 18 · Another Ghost?!Chapter 19 · Scared away the Evil ghostChapter 20 · NingNing’s SoulChapter 20 · Chapter SE 20: NingNing’s SoulChapter 21 · Green TeaChapter 22 · VisitChapter 23 · Turned into DollChapter 24 · Reunited with Yan HeChapter 25 · I’m UglyChapter 26 · I will stomp youChapter 27 · Ghost AgainChapter 28 · Looking for new HostChapter 29 · Just a BiteChapter 30 · Chapter SE 30: BurnChapter 31 · Trapped Again!Chapter 32 · Call me Lord Official….Chapter 33 · I devote myself to you completely…Chapter 34 · Husband or son?Chapter 35 · Ghost sleep during Day time….Chapter 36 · You could buy more than four thousand sticksChapter 37 · Gu TingChapter 38 · Looks familiarChapter 39 · You’re sleeping with my ancestor?!Chapter 40 · Great great great great GrandsonChapter 41 · We can afford itChapter 42 · HotpotChapter 43 · New StoryChapter 44 · Past Memories…Chapter 45 · Kidnapping Ancestor!Chapter 46 · Copy Buddhist scripturesChapter 47 · Ancestor Flew away…Chapter 48 · Xiao He might not be spending his birthday aloneChapter 49 · May everything go as you wishChapter 50 · I lied…Chapter 51 · Young Master turned into half humanChapter 52 · LettersChapter 53 · Lord OxChapter 54 · Male… destined love???Chapter 55 · A kindred spiritChapter 56 · Chapter SE 56: I like YouChapter 57 · Yan ZhangChapter 58 · Is two hours a bit too short?Chapter 59 · Going down the middle is indeed the correct choiceChapter 60 · Excel spreadsheetsChapter 61 · He had forgotten to tell A’Sheng.Chapter 62 · The person he disliked most had become the young mistress?Chapter 63 · Rip him to shredsChapter 64 · I was wrongChapter 65 · Lord Mu is very happyChapter 66 · I’m about to get marriedChapter 67 · I want to go on a date with youChapter 68 · You’d probably overturn the entire underworldChapter 69 · Head tableChapter 70 · It was meChapter 71 · Junior King of HellChapter 72 · His wife is a little ghost who lies on the bedChapter 73 · Chen LanChapter 74 · Sister in LawChapter 75 · Chapter SE 75: Pick up my boyfriend from workChapter 75 · Extra 1Chapter 76 · Can you still talkChapter 77 · Aren’t you going to ask about yourselfChapter 77 · Extra 3Chapter 77 · Extra 2Chapter 78 · How many ordinary little spirits dare fall in love with the Yan King?Chapter 78 · Extra 4Chapter 79 · I never realized that the bird man’s status was so high… Yan KingChapter 79 · Extra 5Chapter 80 · I’ve ridden on the little Yan King’s headChapter 80 · Extra 6Chapter 81 · Is… this very important?Chapter 81 · Extra 7Chapter 82 · Extra 8Chapter 82 · Young master… will you marry me?Chapter 83 · He’s just a stubborn little old manChapter 84 · End of Main StoryChapter 93 · Extra 9Chapter 94 · Extra 10