Ghost Says - Chapter 1.2

After relieving himself, Qiao Gang zipped up his pants and was about to open the other stall to take a look when someone came in from outside. It was Wen Dayong, who had fought with him a few days ago.

They hadn’t spoken for a few days. When Wen Dayong saw Qiao Gang, he was taken aback, and his expression immediately turned fierce. Qiao Gang snorted coldly and brushed past him.

As the door closed, he saw Wen Dayong open the door of the first stall and go in.

Qiao Gang was stunned and touched his head. Was it…had he been seeing things?

The next day when he came to work, he heard that Wen Dayong had died, in the bathroom. When the cleaning lady came to clean up after work yesterday, she found that the first stall was locked. Thinking that someone was still inside, she called for a long time but no one answered. When people broke down the door, they found a man standing straight inside. The expression on his face was twisted with terror, as if he had seen something extremely horrifying.

That person was Wen Dayong.

Thinking about the person wearing black trousers he had seen in the bathroom yesterday, Qiao Gang inexplicably felt a chill down his spine.

Was it really just his imagination?

Wen Dayong’s death was strange, and people said he had provoked something unclean. Rumors spread for a while, and the bathroom was sealed off. The boss even specially invited a monk to perform a ritual for him.

But it was unclear whether the ritual was for Wen Dayong or for the evil spirit.

A straight man does not fear a crooked shadow. Qiao Gang felt that he lived an upright life and hadn’t done anything to be guilty of. Even if a vengeful ghost came to claim a life, it wouldn’t be his.

(TL: A straight man does not fear a crooked shadow=a person with integrity and honesty has nothing to fear from false accusations or misunderstandings.)

The police talked to him because they had had a dispute before the incident, and Qiao Gang had the motive and means to commit the crime.

But some people saw that when Qiao Gang came out, Wen Dayong had just gone in, and afterwards, Qiao Gang had never left the sight of his colleagues, so he didn’t have enough time to commit the crime.

At the same time, the autopsy results came out. It was a myocardial infarction.

Thinking about his terrified expression before he died, what made him so scared?

What did he see at that time?

This might become an eternal secret.

When Qiao Gang got home, he saw Jian Xia preparing food. The red hot pot ingredients were bubbling in the pot, and next to it was a plate of cut tofu, meat slices, and cleaned mushrooms and vegetables.

“Back already? It’s just about time to eat, go get a bowl and chopsticks.”

Qiao Gang happily ran over to get a bowl and chopsticks, and couldn’t wait to scoop up a slice of lamb and put it in his mouth, scalding his mouth in the process.

“Slow down, slow down, you’re like a starving ghost reincarnated.”

Jian Xia leisurely cooked the meat, finding Qiao Gang’s antics amusing.

“This is delicious!”

Speaking of Jian Xia, although he was a bit of a flirt and frivolous with girls, he was really good to his friends.

They shared the rent for the house, and when Qiao Gang was having financial difficulties, Jian Xia would lend him money without a second thought, waiting for Qiao Gang to pay him back when he had the money. He never heard him press for payment.

In terms of cooking, although he only knew how to make omelettes and cold dishes, he was better than Qiao Gang who could only cook noodles.

In terms of housework, they each did their own laundry. The cleaning of the living room, kitchen, and bathroom was supposed to be rotated daily, but this rule collapsed within a week. How clean can you expect a place where two bachelors live to be? As long as it looked passable on the surface, it was fine. When it got too out of hand, whoever couldn’t stand it would clean up.

Generally speaking, that poor soul would not be Qiao Gang.

Qiao Gang’s favorite thing to do was to kick Jian Xia’s legs or butt while he was grumbling and mopping the floor.

All in all, Jian Xia was a good friend, both in essence and in performance.

After dinner, since Jian Xia had cooked, Qiao Gang conscientiously went to wash the dishes.

In the evening, Qiao Gang watched a football match on TV, while Jian Xia played computer games, and the two did not interfere with each other.

Before going to bed, Qiao Gang first took his change of clothes and towel into the bathroom. Not long after he started washing, Jian Xia started knocking on the door.

“Dude, hurry up! I can’t hold it in any longer!”

Qiao Gang was rubbing soap all over his body, slippery all over, and cursed, “You little stinker, did you do this on purpose? Why do you always get a stomachache when I’m taking a shower?”

Jian Xia pleaded from outside the door, “People have three urgencies, can I control it? Please let me in.”

Qiao Gang sighed, quickly rinsed off the foam on his body, and was wiping the water droplets off his body with a towel when Jian Xia couldn’t wait any longer and rushed in, all because he usually didn’t lock the door.

“Sorry, sorry, excuse me, excuse,” Jian Xia looked straight ahead and rushed to the bathroom. After taking care of his business, he finally looked up at the naked man in front of him, and blew a wolfish whistle, “Handsome guy, great physique ah.”

Qiao Gang gave him a glance, wrapped a towel around his waist, and walked out on his own.

After taking care of his physiological needs, Jian Xia felt refreshed. He came out to see Qiao Gang wearing a pair of beach shorts, standing on the balcony eating an apple.

Jian Xia walked over and mischievously pinched his butt. “Mmm, it’s really perky and bouncy.”

Qiao Gang kicked out, “Looking for death, are you?”

Jian Xia dodged, “No, no, no.”

After joking around for a bit, Qiao Gang finished his apple and went back to his room to sleep.

The next day, they had agreed to go shopping and eat out after work with Xiao Yu. When he woke up in the morning, Jian Xia, the lazy pig, was still in bed. Qiao Gang, who was running late, called out to him a couple of times before leaving.

After work, he went to school to pick up Xiao Yu, and then the two of them went shopping before deciding where to eat.

Unexpectedly, there were still so many people on the street at this time. A mall was having a promotion, and the crowd in front of the door was bustling. Qiao Gang, afraid that the two would get separated, reached out and held her hand.

The hand he held was somewhat cold, and Qiao Gang couldn’t help but grip it tighter.

Xiao Yu was in a good mood. After passing through the crowd, she saw a jewelry store and excitedly ran over. Halfway there, she realized her boyfriend hadn’t followed and turned around, looking at him in confusion.

Qiao Gang was staring blankly at his own hand. Just now…he had clearly grabbed Xiao Yu’s hand.

It was now five in the afternoon, and the sun was still radiating residual heat overhead.

Even in this weather, which could even be described as hot, Qiao Gang’s palm was full of cold sweat.

Xiao Yu found it a bit strange and ran over to him, “What’s wrong with you? Did you encounter something evil?”

Encounter something evil…

Had he encountered something evil just now?

Qiao Gang pinched his own hand. He was a person who didn’t believe in ghosts and gods. Where would there be ghosts in broad daylight?

It was probably a hallucination due to lack of rest recently.

Qiao Gang smiled at Xiao Yu, who was somewhat worried, and said it was nothing. Then he held her hand and walked into the jewelry store.

Compared to just now, the hand in his now was obviously smaller, and it was soft and smooth like jade, completely different from that cold feeling.

That cold feeling was still lingering on his skin, unable to be shaken off.

Qiao Gang was tense, and had no mood to shop.

Xiao Yu, on the other hand, was very interested in this small shop. She picked up a pair of feather-shaped earrings and couldn’t put them down. In the end, Qiao Gang bought the earrings and put them on Xiao Yu’s ears on the spot.

Xiao Yu happily held his hand as they left the store, the playful and cute shape really suited her.

After dinner, Qiao Gang took her home.

Downstairs at her house, Xiao Yu first quietly said goodbye to him, tiptoed up and kissed him on the face, then quickly ran up. Qiao Gang touched the place on his face that still retained some warmth, and chuckled.

Girls are such adorable creatures, the world would be so boring without them.

He stood downstairs for a while, and only after the lights in Xiao Yu’s house came on did he leave with peace of mind.

When he got home, the living room was pitch black.

After turning on the light, Qiao Gang saw that Jian Xia’s room door was still closed, and the things inside were still the same as when he left. Worried that this kid might be sick, he went over and knocked on the door.

There was no response.

Qiao Gang tried to turn the doorknob, the door was not locked.

Worried that something had happened inside, he opened the door.

Inside the door was pitch black, and he could only vaguely see someone lying on the bed.

The light switch was set on the wall next to the door, Qiao Gang pressed it, the light didn’t come on, it was probably broken.

He first softly called his name, and after calling for a long time, he didn’t hear any movement.

Feeling strange, Qiao Gang went over to see if he had a fever.

When he got to the side of the bed, he suddenly heard him hum.

Qiao Gang felt a little relieved, “What’s wrong, are you uncomfortable? You’ve been sleeping all day without getting up?”

The person on the bed vaguely hummed.

Qiao Gang frowned, “This won’t do, you haven’t eaten anything all day, you must be hungry, I’ll go make you a bowl of noodles. If you’re really uncomfortable, let’s go to the hospital first.”

After a while, Jian Xia finally made a sound again, “Don’t…want…”

Qiao Gang didn’t hear clearly, he moved closer and asked, “What did you say?”

“…Don’t…want…to go…”

Qiao Gang was helpless, still like a child.

“Alright, we won’t go to the hospital, but you have to eat something, I’ll go make you some noodles, at least eat a little.”

The other party didn’t speak this time.

Qiao Gang thought he had tacitly agreed, so he got up and went to the kitchen to make him some noodles.

The portion was not large, half a small bowl, sprinkled with green onions on top, it smelled quite fragrant.

He brought the noodles to his room, Qiao Gang first put the noodle bowl on the table, then went over to help him sit up and lean against the head of the bed.

Qiao Gang touched him, feeling a bit cold, he was indeed sick.

Holding the bowl, he cooled the noodles a bit before feeding them into his mouth.

He didn’t know if it was because of the illness, but his mouth opening movement was a bit strange, there was a sense of physical discordance, and when he helped him sit up just now, he also felt a strange stiffness.

In the darkness, he couldn’t see his face clearly, he could only vaguely see some contours.

The subtle sound of teeth chewing, echoed in the strangely quiet room, as if it had been magnified several times, incredibly clear.

The two of them, one feeding, one eating, neither spoke.

Silently finished a bowl of noodles, Qiao Gang helped him lie down again, and then went back to his own room to rest.