“Why are you all looking at me? Can we add this dish later?” Wei Xicheng removed the straw from his mouth, looked at everyone, and showed them the menu in his hand, his finger pointing at a dish that looked simple and light.
Recently, Wei’s mother had been trying all kinds of ways to nourish his body. On top of that, after seeing too many gruesome ghosts, both big and small, he had lost his appetite for rich and heavy food.
Seeing everyone looking at him, he was silent for a moment before continuing, “I can pay for this myself.”
Today, his mother knew he was going out for a gathering and had specially given him a few red bills to keep with him. Wei Xicheng glanced at the price of the dish—though a little expensive, he could definitely afford it.
As soon as he said that, everyone’s expressions turned strange. Lin Yan had already covered all the expenses for today’s gathering, so no one felt comfortable making personal requests. But Wei Xicheng, on the other hand, not only openly brought it up but even said he’d pay for it himself. What did he mean by that? Did it mean he wouldn’t eat anything else unless he bought it himself?
Boys at this age cared a lot about pride, and to Lin Yan, Wei Xicheng’s words were like stomping all over his dignity. His expression immediately darkened, but he couldn’t say anything outright.
“Wei Xicheng, Lin Yan is treating us today. It’s not appropriate for you to say that,” He Cheng, still as warm and gentle as ever, tried to persuade him.
Wei Xicheng glanced at him, closed the menu, and looked at him with clear eyes. “I know. Since Lin Yan is treating us, I just wanted to order something I like. But since I wasn’t sure if you all would enjoy it, I thought I’d pay for it myself. Is that not okay?”
His words were provocative, yet the way he spoke made it seem as if he genuinely didn’t understand social etiquette—there was even a hint of innocence in his tone.
For a moment, no one could tell if he was truly this “naïve” or just looking for an excuse to cause trouble.
“Well, technically, it’s okay…” But this was just a sure way to offend people. He Cheng left the second half of his sentence unsaid and turned to look at Lin Yan. Lin Yan’s face was already as dark as the bottom of a pot.
“Waiter!” Lin Yan pressed the call button and said to the staff who came in, “Add one order of White Jade and Jade Greens, and make it the first dish served.”
It was just some stir-fried greens and bean sprouts. What was so special about it? Saying it out loud made it seem like he was being stingy.
“Thank you.” Seeing that someone had ordered the dish for him, Wei Xicheng finally showed a genuine smile to Lin Yan and sincerely thanked him.
Then, he turned back, resumed sipping from his straw, and nestled into the sofa while flipping through the menu.
Though the atmosphere quickly became lively again thanks to Lin Yan’s friends, Lin Yan still felt a sense of frustration in his heart. He kept glancing back at Wei Xicheng, who was sitting in the corner, looking completely unbothered, and it made him even more irritated.
It felt like Wei Xicheng had only come to the gathering to get his dish and wasn’t actually here to hang out with them.
But as he thought about it, Lin Yan suddenly realized—Wei Xicheng had never been part of their circle. Even though Lin Yan knew Wei Xicheng was unpopular and often excluded in class, he had never made any effort to approach him, let alone help him with his troubles.
Because in his mind, Wei Xicheng was never someone he could be friends with. They weren’t the same kind of people.
But now, when he looked back, he couldn’t help but wonder—was their “exclusion” of Wei Xicheng really just him being too lazy to bother with them?
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Lin Yan found himself unable to stop glancing in that direction.
Looking at Wei Xicheng’s relaxed demeanor, it was clear—he really didn’t care about them at all.
Many people noticed Lin Yan’s strange behavior, but they were young, not stupid. They saw it but pretended not to. Eventually, someone who couldn’t hold back would ask about it.
Sure enough, before long, He Cheng subtly tugged Lin Yan’s sleeve under the table. “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.” But despite saying that, Lin Yan’s gaze remained locked on Wei Xicheng, who was sitting on the sofa.
He Cheng’s eyes darkened slightly. Just as he was about to say something else, Lin Yan suddenly seemed flustered and blurted out, “Aren’t you coming over?”
His timing was impeccable—Wei Xicheng had just finished flipping through the last page of the menu. At Lin Yan’s words, his hand, which was about to turn back to the first page, paused, and he looked in their direction.
From Wei Xicheng’s perspective, Lin Yan, He Cheng, and a whole bunch of people were sitting together, crammed alongside a group of trembling little ghosts—a rather amusing scene.
He smiled. “Sure.”
The red bead given to him by the female ghost was working well—he could already tell.
He Cheng also noticed something unusual, but his expression remained calm as if he hadn’t seen anything.
Wei Xicheng smiled at him, and in return, he received a polite smile back.
Everyone was naturally curious, and once Wei Xicheng joined their activity, there were many “coincidental” interactions. But to all of them, Wei Xicheng simply smiled and said nothing.
Someone who never smiled before, suddenly showing a smile—it should have felt out of place. But with Wei Xicheng, there was no such awkwardness. Instead, it created a striking contrast.
When he didn’t smile, he seemed reserved and indifferent.
But when he did, it was warm and comforting, as if even the temperature around them had risen.
Wei Xicheng glanced around. With his arrival, the weaker ghosts didn’t dare step out of the private room and were once again “squeezed” into the same corner as before. If he knew what his classmates were thinking, he would have told them with complete seriousness that once the ghosts left, the yin energy faded, making the temperature naturally rise.
As he moved closer, He Cheng’s gaze lingered on him a little longer.
At first, He Cheng only suspected something was off about this private room, planning to investigate after the gathering. But as Wei Xicheng and the ghosts shifted positions, even if He Cheng were slow-witted, he would have noticed the unusual connection between them.
He Cheng narrowed his eyes. His classmate had changed too much, enough to make him curious. Before, strange things would occasionally happen around Wei Xicheng. Sometimes, vengeful ghosts clung to him, leaving a lingering gloom between his brows and bringing him bad luck.
He understood a bit about these matters but never took the initiative to warn others. He Cheng considered himself different from the rest—his mind sharper and more mature than his peers. Even his friendship with Lin Yan was merely for the trace of good fortune surrounding him.
From his perspective, Wei Xicheng’s natural ability to attract vengeful spirits must be a result of accumulated bad deeds, and sooner or later, he would face retribution.
But within just half a month, Wei Xicheng seemed like an entirely different person—not just in temperament but also in facial features. The gloom between his brows had vanished, and his whole presence had shifted. That alone was enough to raise suspicion.
He Cheng only understood fragments of these mysteries and had no choice but to suppress his thoughts to avoid drawing attention. Everything would have to wait until his master returned.
“Baiyu Feicui!”
The announcement of a dish broke everyone’s thoughts. Sure enough, since a customer had specifically ordered it, the kitchen prepared this dish first.
Wei Xicheng picked up his chopsticks, scanned the room, noticed everyone staring at him, and then put them down, pretending nothing had happened.
Classmates: We all saw that! You wanted to eat it! You were about to eat it! And you even opened another yogurt!
Strangely enough, Lin Yan’s bad mood disappeared. Looking at Wei Xicheng sitting across the room, he felt puzzled—he couldn’t remember what the old Wei Xicheng had been like.
If he had always been this adorable, how could I have let others bully him?
As more dishes were served, Wei Xicheng finally got a chance to try the bean sprouts. But just as he was about to take a bite, his hand suddenly stopped.
The others, confused, followed his gaze, but all they saw was a perfectly closed door—nothing unusual.
Only He Cheng’s eyebrow twitched. A man. A ghost. A very powerful ghost.
He looked at Wei Xicheng and confirmed his suspicions.
Standing at the door was Yu Beiyan. The little ghosts in the room, sensing his presence, panicked and rushed out, despite knowing they were stepping into the territory of even stronger ghosts outside.
Yu Beiyan glanced at Wei Xicheng, swept his gaze across the room, and then floated away. A moment later, a firm, confident knock echoed through the room.
He Cheng stared at the closed door while Wei Xicheng swallowed nervously.
One of their classmates went to open it, and a chilly breeze swept in, making them shiver.
“Why is the AC blasting so cold out here? Huh? Wait, who are you?”
Standing at the doorway was a tall man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his figure lean yet powerful. Many of the girls in the room couldn’t take their eyes off him. Compared to him, the young men inside seemed to lack a certain dominance and intensity.
He ignored the question, walked straight in, and headed directly toward Wei Xicheng.
Wei Xicheng, still holding his chopsticks, looked up at the man beside him. The bean sprout between his chopsticks wobbled dangerously as he snapped back to reality.
“Uh… can you eat bean sprouts?”
…
To the others, the man had come and gone in a flash, as if he were simply an acquaintance of Wei Xicheng stopping by to say hello. Only He Cheng knew that the man had revealed himself specifically for Lin Yan and the others to see.
He turned back to Wei Xicheng’s seat. The boy’s fair cheeks were now tinged with a faint pink, making him look even more attractive. If he hadn’t seen with his own eyes how the man was holding him in his arms, He Cheng might have assumed it was just the warmth of the room or maybe that Wei Xicheng couldn’t hold his liquor.
Ridiculous.
Wei Xicheng felt like he was sitting on needles. No matter how he shifted, he could still feel the cold chest pressed against his back and the occasional cool breath brushing against his ear.
Of all the things he expected, he had never imagined Yu Beiyan would become a ghost.
Feeling his pocket being rummaged through, he quickly pressed down on the wandering hand, afraid someone might see a ghost looting his pockets.
The red bead vanished from his pocket into Yu Beiyan’s hand, though Wei Xicheng remained unaware.
This wasn’t the place for a conversation, so he had no choice but to let Yu Beiyan continue messing around.
At this increasingly uncomfortable gathering, Lin Yan and the others suddenly realized—Wei Xicheng was actually really good-looking.
Not in a traditionally handsome or beautiful way, but simply pleasing to the eye. His features were well-balanced, his presence unique, and his movements effortlessly graceful.
Some of them even regretted their past ignorance. Back then, they had never noticed. Now, even if they wanted to befriend him, it felt a bit awkward. And with their time together coming to an end, they weren’t sure if Wei Xicheng would ever forgive them for what they had done before.
As the meal ended, Lin Yan was the first to suggest, “Why don’t we go to the entertainment club?”
The others immediately agreed.
He Cheng watched as the ghostly figure of the man floated away, then reappeared in human form, stepping back inside. His voice was deep and magnetic.
“Tianyu Entertainment Club? You’re all Chengcheng’s classmates? I’ll cover the expenses. Let’s go.”
Hearing this, everyone cheered, even Lin Yan, who had been worried about money.
Today’s meal had already cost him a lot. Originally, he planned to take them somewhere cheap in the afternoon. But he hadn’t expected Wei Xicheng’s acquaintance to be so generous.
At the back of the group, He Cheng sneered. But just as they were leaving, the man turned and looked directly at him.
That one glance made He Cheng feel like he had fallen into an ice-cold abyss.
He realized, yet again, how terrifyingly powerful the man was. Quietly, he crushed a yellow talisman hidden in his sleeve. Thin strands of light shot out from it and disappeared in an instant.
Yu Beiyan seemed to sense something, pausing for a moment before gripping Wei Xicheng’s hand tightly.
Wei Xicheng whispered, “Yu Beiyan?”
“Mm.”
“You got your memories back?”
“Mm.”
“How the hell did you end up as a ghost?”
“Mm…”
“Mm your ass.” Wei Xicheng shook off his hand and walked out.
Behind him, the man chuckled and quickly caught up, holding his hand again.
“I’ll be your ghost forever.”
—
Tianyu Entertainment Club was grandly decorated, its facilities top-notch. Just stepping inside, one could tell it was worth its steep price.
“Why don’t we start with karaoke?” Lin Yan suggested.
The group agreed—it was still a class gathering, after all. If they split up too soon, it wouldn’t be as meaningful.
Turning to Wei Xicheng, Lin Yan asked, “Sound good?”
“Mm.” Wei Xicheng nodded.
After Yu Beiyan’s appearance, He Cheng had been hanging at the back of the group, barely responding when Lin Yan called him. It was as if he were deliberately minimizing his presence.
Wei Xicheng glanced at the man beside him and whispered, “That guy’s suspicious. Shouldn’t you disappear?”
Yu Beiyan raised an eyebrow. “I know what’s wrong with him.”
“Then why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Money can make ghosts work. I don’t want money—just a ‘reward.’”
His face remained serious, making their conversation appear proper to outsiders.
Wei Xicheng rolled his eyes. “Suit yourself.”
Even though the others couldn’t hear them, they weren’t blind. Ever since the man appeared, Wei Xicheng had lost his usual aloofness. Instead, he often whispered to him—clearly, their relationship was deep.
“Don’t overthink it, it’s nothing serious.” Yu Beiyan lightly flicked Wei Xicheng’s nose. The gesture was obviously a bit too intimate, making Lin Yan, who was standing nearby, break out in goosebumps.
Wei Xicheng frowned and walked into the private room. Since Lin Yan wasn’t paying for this gathering out of his own pocket this time, and because everyone’s impression of Wei Xicheng had improved today, their attitude toward him was much warmer.
Everyone started urging him to sing the first song, even the usually shy girls, who blushed as they joined in the excitement.
“Have fun. Call me if you need anything.” This was a gathering for his classmates, and Yu Beiyan staying here would feel out of place. He kissed Wei Xicheng’s forehead before stepping out, closing the door behind him like a gentleman.
…
Silence filled the room.
Wei Xicheng touched his forehead. He had a feeling that Yu Beiyan had chosen to become a ghost on purpose. Only as a spectral entity, an intangible, unseen presence closer to a pure energy state, could he get closer to uncovering the secret of returning home.
“You guys… what’s your relationship?” Lin Yan rubbed his hands together, taking on the role of spokesperson for the group.
“Lovers.”
Hearing this answer, Lin Yan’s eyes widened. He instinctively looked around for He Cheng, hoping to confirm that he wasn’t just imagining things. The rest of the group had mixed reactions—some had a hint of ridicule in their eyes, others an inexplicable gleam of excitement.
Most of them, however, had expressions too complicated to put into words. Unable to find He Cheng, Lin Yan had no choice but to brace himself and keep the conversation going. He let out an awkward chuckle. “Oh, really? Haha, I didn’t expect that.”
Having traveled through so many worlds, Wei Xicheng wasn’t the type to hide or be secretive about things, especially not in a parallel world like this one.
He glanced at Lin Yan. To be honest, although the original host had died partly because of Lin Yan, in Wei Xicheng’s eyes, the only mistake Lin Yan had made was turning a blind eye when the original host was isolated and bullied.
They weren’t friends. They had never even interacted much. Lin Yan didn’t know how the original host felt about him—his understanding of Wei Xicheng had always come secondhand from his friends and He Cheng.
Since everyone in his social circle disliked Wei Xicheng, there was no need for Lin Yan to act differently. Even though he had the power to change things, he never made the effort. He didn’t have a habit of playing the hero, nor did he want to get caught up in unnecessary trouble or gossip.
Wei Xicheng never had any intention of taking revenge on Lin Yan or He Cheng. The only reason he was here interacting with them was simple curiosity—he wanted to know how He Cheng was able to coexist with ghosts so well.
Then again, if he thought about it, he himself was now able to interact peacefully with ghosts too… though that was mostly due to Yu Beiyan’s violent suppression tactics.
Eager to escape the awkward atmosphere, Lin Yan handed the microphone to Wei Xicheng. “Why don’t you sing something? No one’s ever heard you sing before.”
He held out the mic for almost a full minute before Wei Xicheng finally took it. “Just because you guys haven’t heard me sing, I have to do it?”
Lin Yan nearly choked on air. Now he understood why Wei Xicheng wasn’t popular—someone with a personality like this would never have many friends.
Luckily, he was the only one who heard that comment. The next moment, Wei Xicheng had already chosen his song.
A soft and gentle melody began to play. This song was deeply ingrained in the original host’s memories. Wei Xicheng carefully recalled the lyrics twice before finally beginning to sing.
As the song ended, many people found their emotions shifting.
Graduation meant freedom, but it also meant parting ways. Looking at the familiar faces around them—the people they had struggled alongside—they couldn’t help but feel bittersweet.
Wei Xicheng, however, felt nothing. This song perfectly encapsulated the original host’s feelings—his unspoken farewell to everyone.
After setting the microphone down, he casually walked over and sat beside He Cheng.
For a brief moment, He Cheng stiffened, but he quickly adjusted his posture.
“I never expected Xicheng to be such a good singer,” He Cheng said with a seemingly sincere smile.
Wei Xicheng nodded. “Mm. Aren’t you going to sing?”
“No,” He Cheng shook his head, looking a little embarrassed. “I’m completely tone-deaf.”
“Oh, then never mind.” Wei Xicheng opened a yogurt drink and leaned back into the sofa, pretending not to notice how He Cheng’s back instantly went rigid.
From his current position, he had a clear view of He Cheng’s back, which must have been making He Cheng feel uncomfortable.
But that wasn’t his problem.
He Cheng had made him uncomfortable plenty of times before.
“Wei… Xicheng, was there some kind of misunderstanding between us?” He Cheng cautiously scooted back until his back was also against the sofa, as if that gave him some sense of security. His voice returned to its usual calmness, no longer tense.
“You don’t already know the answer?” Wei Xicheng didn’t even look at him, eyes focused on the lyrics screen.
“What do you mean by that?”
Wei Xicheng glanced at him, his gaze sharp and coldly amused. “You really thought no one noticed your little stunt just now, He Cheng?”
He Cheng’s expression turned serious. “If you noticed, then you should know what you’re doing right now.”
“And what exactly am I doing?” Wei Xicheng leaned back, completely at ease, waiting for He Cheng’s answer.
“You know that humans and ghosts…”
“I know. So what?” Wei Xicheng interrupted him. “What else do you want to say?”
“You’re unbelievably ungrateful,” He Cheng snapped, frustrated. He had been trying to warn him, and this guy had the audacity to throw it back in his face.
“Ungrateful?” Wei Xicheng repeated the word twice, then smiled at He Cheng. “Tell me, He Cheng, would you call your past actions toward me ‘good’ or ‘bad’?”
“You—!”
Wei Xicheng waved a dismissive hand. “I have no interest in holding grudges, but you’d better not bring trouble upon yourself.”
His indifferent, unconcerned attitude stung He Cheng more than any sharp words could.
Just then, another song ended. Wei Xicheng adjusted his collar and instantly returned to his usual cold demeanor. It was obvious to everyone that he and He Cheng had just had a conflict.
Curious eyes turned toward them. He Cheng, known for his good temper, had actually clashed with someone?
Before anyone could say anything, Wei Xicheng got up. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” Without a hint of hesitation, he left the room.
The moment the door shut behind him, he was pulled into a firm embrace.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” a deep voice murmured in his ear.
Honestly I myself found this chapter a little confusing ~
