49: Video

A ghost doesn’t have the concept of “falling asleep.”

Qin Yan swore to accompany him through the long, endless night, flipping through his collection of DVDs while curiously asking, “How did you spend your nights before?”

Zhou Shurong crouched next to him in front of the drawer on the left side of the TV cabinet, extending his hand to rummage through the DVDs. “Close my eyes and try not to think about anything, or just keep thinking. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?”

He glanced at the DVD in his hand, which had no cover, only a string of numbers written in black ink. It seemed to be a date. Only someone inexperienced would be curious about what was on this DVD. This kind of unspoken secret was something most men understood.

He appeared somewhat distracted. “Otherwise, just keep my eyes open, sit by someone’s bed, and stay there until morning.”

“Ah!” Qin Yan couldn’t help but glance over, seeing the blank disc. He changed his tone dramatically and quickly reached over to snatch it away, burying it at the bottom of the drawer.

Zhou Shurong looked at him with an amused smile.

Qin Yan’s earlobes turned red. He pretended to remain calm, shaking the DVD he had found and saying, “I found it! The one you specifically wanted to watch—Rouge!”

“I come here often, but I’ve never really looked through these before. Who knows how many secrets are hidden in them?”

“No, no, there’s only that one!”

“Oh.” Zhou Shurong asked, feigning curiosity, “Are the main characters two men, two women, or both?”

Qin Yan quickly inserted the DVD into the player, staying busy to maintain his composure. “Once I decided on the relationship, I went through all sorts of trouble to get that DVD. What do you think?”

“Still went through all that trouble. Isn’t the internet convenient?”

“Too dangerous. There’s always a risk of secrets being leaked. If something happens and I die, the last thing I’ll be thinking about is my favorite person. I’ll be worrying about leaving traces on the internet!”

Zhou Shurong, listening, rubbed his lower lip thoughtfully with his thumb. Qin Yan’s use of the word “death” today was notably excessive.

He lowered his eyelashes, and just as he did, Qin Yan happily sat back down on the couch, reaching out to gesture him over. “Hurry up, the movie is starting.”

Zhou Shurong stood up, no longer thinking about staying to watch the movie with Qin Yan.

This movie was about a prostitute and a rich young man who committed suicide together decades ago. The ghost woman waited for years but never saw her lover again. She came to the human world to find him. In the end, with the help of a modern couple, she found her lover, who had been living in squalor, and he was now an old man, no longer the handsome figure he once was…

The first time Qin Yan watched this movie, he was still in high school and couldn’t understand why the female ghost’s intense love seemed to vanish after just one glimpse of her now-elderly lover, and she left without any mercy.

Now, he had watched it so many times that the self-righteous thoughts he had back then were long forgotten. All that remained was a complex feeling.

Now, the movie showed the female ghost seeing her lover, who had long since settled for a miserable life. She took off the rouge pendant he had given her and said, “Thank you for remembering me…”

Qin Yan turned his head and looked at Zhou Shurong’s superior side profile. He, like the female ghost in the movie, died at the height of his youth—just over twenty years old, with no wrinkles around his eyes.

Even when he was over fifty, Zhou Shurong still looked like he was in his twenties.

Even when he was over seventy, Zhou Shurong still looked like he was in his twenties.

When he became too old to move, with his face transformed, his body filled with the scent of death, his lover would still appear with elegance.

Zhou Shurong slowly turned to look at Qin Yan.

He didn’t need to say anything. He just quietly stared at him.

This movie was one Zhou Shurong had specifically requested to watch.

Qin Yan understood his intentions completely.

He quickly blinked, pushing away the warmth gathering in his eyes. He was an ordinary person, after all, and the thought of death still scared him. He turned away, opened the bag of chips meant for the movie, grabbed a handful, and stuffed it into his mouth, munching loudly.

The salty and savory taste filled his mouth. He desperately clung to this simple seasoning of life.

“Is it good?”

The movie had reached the end, and the screen faded to black with the cast rolling on the screen.

For the atmosphere, they had turned off the lights and drawn the curtains. Now, in the dimness, everything was slightly blurred. Qin Yan remained motionless, staring ahead.

Zhou Shurong leaned over and gently wiped the corner of his mouth.

The seasoning powder transferred to his fingertip, and he looked at it before popping it into his mouth.

With a touch of loneliness, he said, “I can’t taste it. What flavor are your chips?”

“Barbecue flavor.”

“Oh—”

The tone dragged out, as if he was recalling what barbecue-flavored chips tasted like. He added, “I prefer cucumber flavor.”

“I bought that too.” Qin Yan turned his face, his eyes glistening with light. “I’ll finish all of it.”

“Mm. Enjoy it for me.”

Qin Yan turned on the light again and went to rummage through the DVDs. He swore to accompany Zhou Shurong through the long, endless night.

Zhou Shurong didn’t stop him. Even if Qin Yan went to sleep now, he wouldn’t be able to. He had something on his mind.

“Shurong, what else do you want to watch?”

“Uh… how about a comedy?”

“Oh, I have a lot of Stephen Chow’s movies!”

By the time the fourth movie started, Qin Yan finally couldn’t hold on anymore. His eyelids unknowingly closed. With his lover beside him, he felt at peace, temporarily forgetting all his worries.

Zhou Shurong turned off the movie, carried him to bed, changed into a comfortable set of pajamas, and watched by the bedside all night.

The next morning, the biological alarm clock within Qin Yan rang. When he woke up, he was staring into a pair of deep, dark eyes.

He immediately sat up. “Huh, you really didn’t sleep?”

“Ah Yan, I didn’t lie to you.”

“But if a person doesn’t sleep for a long time, how can they handle it? They’ll go crazy.”

“But I’m no longer human.”

Zhou Shurong said this casually as he lay back, flicking the hem of his clothes, his eyes glancing sideways at Qin Yan.

Qin Yan sat dazed, scratching his head, then hesitated and asked, “So the ghost has no side effects?”

“None, I think?” Zhou Shurong wasn’t entirely sure.

“Anyway, staying awake through those long nights is hard to bear.”

“Then what about when I go out?”

“Go out for what?” Qin Yan asked, becoming alert.

“Uh… find something to do.”

“Like what?”

Zhou Shurong rubbed his chin and smiled. “Eat some late-night snacks.”

Qin Yan refused immediately, grabbing his clothes. “No. What if we run into people from that organization? What if we run into a ghost stronger than you?”

“Alright.” Zhou Shurong seemed to concede, patting his head. “Okay, go brush your teeth and wash your face. After breakfast, I’ll accompany you to resign from your job.”

Qin Yan frowned. “I really don’t want to go out.”

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He grabbed Zhou Shurong’s hand and said, “You’re so powerful. You used to solve a lot of things with just a phone call. Can you help me handle it?”

“That was in the past. My ID has already been canceled. If I make a call now, people will think it’s a ghost calling and won’t help you, but instead, they’ll say a prayer for themselves first.”

“Ah?” Qin Yan thought for a moment and then remembered Zhou Langxing.

Zhou Shurong seemed to see through his thoughts. “If you want him to help, just call him.”

He spoke, pulling his hand out.

Qin Yan grabbed his hand back and squeezed it. “You’re being contradictory.”

He smiled politely.

Qin Yan squeezed his hand again, then raised his voice. “I’m getting up to change clothes. You should leave!”

He didn’t move, staring at him quietly.

Qin Yan covered his eyes. “Hurry up!”

Zhou Shurong smiled slightly. “I changed your clothes last night.”

“I’m shy!”

“It’s not like you need to take everything off. Do you need to change your underwear too?”

Forget it, forget it!

Qin Yan let go of his hand and looked for the clothes he had changed out of last night. He saw them neatly folded next to the pillow, immediately picked them up, and quickly changed.

Then it was time to brush his teeth, wash his face, and make breakfast…

Meanwhile, at the Polar Star Bar, two tall men broke through the door early in the morning, went up to the second floor, and dragged the still-dazed Zhou Langxing out.

Zhou Langxing had just groggily opened his eyes when he was shoved into the back seat of the car.

“Ugh—”

He let out a groan just as the car started moving.

One of the men said, “Young Master, the Master has asked us to take you home.”

Zhou Langxing resigned himself, rolling his eyes. He adjusted his position, pulled out his phone, and contacted his father’s life assistant.

After his hacker friend had passed away, he had asked Assistant Wang to take care of things. Xiao Hei had no relatives left. No need for an autopsy—just bury him directly. Zhou Langxing already knew the truth about Xiao Hei’s death.

It had been several days. It should be done by now.

He was planning to attend the funeral too.

Assistant Wang quickly answered and explained the recent difficulties they had encountered—the cremation machine kept malfunctioning.

Zhou Langxing thought for a moment. “Since his soul doesn’t want to see his body cremated, let’s change it to a burial.”

“…Okay. The Young Master is getting more and more humorous.”

Zhou Langxing hung up the phone, recalling what his father had said—Xiao Hei had died without peace!

The driver’s skills were exceptional. In less than an hour, they arrived at the Zhou family estate.

Zhou Langxing staggered out of the car.

The alcohol hadn’t fully dissipated, and his head ached. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked into the house, where a cold voice greeted him directly: “Does your brother lack the courage to see me?”

Zhou Langxing looked at him in surprise. “Dad, you know?”

His father scowled. “Do you think I wouldn’t investigate? I suspected it earlier!”

Rather than suspicion, it was more like holding on to a hope.

He slammed a photo onto the table. “He’d rather be out there, all close and affectionate with another man, than come home! He thinks I’m too old, no longer of use.”

Zhou Langxing picked up the photo. It was unmistakably Qin Yan and Zhou Shurong, the two holding hands and walking down a busy street. Everyone around them was staring, but they only had eyes for each other, oblivious to the others, completely immersed in their own world.

Unexpectedly, back at home, he had to swallow a bowl of choking dog food.

His gaze lingered on Qin Yan’s face for a long time, unable to look away.

He seemed so happy.

Zhou Langxing took a deep breath and tried to explain, “It’s not like that. He came home once, just didn’t let you know.”

His father glared at him.

He shook the photo. “Who did you get to investigate? Are they tight-lipped?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“Fine.” Zhou Langxing didn’t argue, shoving the photo into his back pocket.

“I’m worried he’ll run into someone from the Observation Society.”

A flicker of unease passed through Zhou Langxing’s eyes.

He heard his father continue, “I’ve figured it out. The troublesome ghosts are the ones we can see with our human eyes.”

Zhou Langxing added, “Those ghosts are called vengeful ghosts.”

“You know about them?” His father gave him a glance. “That’s the information I recently got. They have a grudge that makes them murderous. I can’t call him back. I’m afraid it’ll anger him, and things will get out of hand.”

What could Zhou Shurong’s grudge be?

It was highly likely related to Qin Yan.

Zhou Langxing pursed his lips. “When we encounter these ghosts, does the official organization always want to eliminate them?”

“Not necessarily. But I haven’t figured out the conditions for not killing them.”

“Oh. He said he would come back.”

“When?”

“Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after…” Zhou Langxing shrugged, pulled out a pearl-like object, and held it in front of his father’s eyes.

His father asked, “What is this?”

“It’s from my brother. It’s probably not an ordinary thing. You should figure out what it’s for.”

Zhou Shurong gave him a pearl, but didn’t explain anything, clearly leaving him to figure it out. Zhou Langxing wasn’t willing to do that, so he directly handed it over, letting the old man worry about it.