Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 184: Workplace Visit

Ever since waking up, Fang Xiu had been recovering at remarkable speed.

His figure remained thin, but his complexion had improved drastically, and his rehabilitation was progressing at an astonishing pace. The medical staff had no explanation and could only attribute it to “well-maintained joints and muscles”.

As for the real reason, only the ghosts knew—during each mealtime kiss, Bai Shuangying would discreetly use magic to nourish Fang Xiu’s body. While he couldn’t conjure up muscle or fat from nothing, he could certainly reawaken the vitality in flesh.

Before long, Fang Xiu was discharged from the hospital.

These recent days felt like a dream. Fang Xiu had assumed the only way he’d leave the hospital was as a corpse. Nowhere in his life plan was there ever a “go home.”

Yet here he was, seated in the back of a taxi, going home with Bai Shuangying.

He reached for the soft fabric of his ghost’s sleeve and couldn’t help but lean against Bai Shuangying’s shoulder, then quickly straightened up under the puzzled look of the taxi driver. Bai Shuangying was currently in stealth mode, after all, and the whole scene might have seemed strange.

Fang Xiu looked outside and noticed an oddly familiar view. When they arrived at their destination, the sense of déjà vu peaked—

Officer Yuan hadn’t moved. He was still living in the same old residential complex where the original crime had taken place.

The building’s outer walls had been redone with new colors and materials. Landscaping inside the complex was more orderly, and elevators had been added to the buildings. The neighbors had replaced their old security doors with smart fingerprint locks, except for the Yuan family, who still had a model from over a decade ago.

The interior hadn’t been renovated either. It kept the old minimalist style with just a few new appliances. Stepping through the doorway, Fang Xiu felt a jolt of disorientation.

It was as if nothing had ever happened; as if Auntie Qin and Yuan Yongan would come running out to greet them any moment.

But his taller perspective constantly reminded him that everything was in the past.

There were very few signs of daily life inside. The living room sofa had basically become Officer Yuan’s bed. Understandable, since he spent most of his time at work or in the hospital with Fang Xiu. At most he would come back here only for a quick sleep.

Noticing Fang Xiu’s prolonged silence, Officer Yuan looked a bit disheartened. “If it bothers you…”

“It doesn’t,” Fang Xiu replied softly. “This is my home.”

“This place is old, and after everything that happened, I just stayed,” Yuan Ye said, picking up the family photo from the cabinet and gazing at it for a long time.

Bai Shuangying immediately moved closer—the photo actually included Fang Xiu. He stood awkwardly beside the Yuan family of three, his young face tinged with cynicism and detachment.

That bristling posture wasn’t so different from how Guan He had looked at the start of the rituals.

Uncle Yuan put the photo down and started his usual rambling. “Don’t worry about the mess in the living room. I’ve saved quite a bit since I don’t really spend much. It’s more than enough to take care of you.”

“Keep the money your parents left you safe. It’ll come in handy down the line…”

Fang Xiu sat on the couch and asked instead, “Dad, are you staying here because it’s hard to sell, or because of them?”

Officer Yuan gave a strained smile. “Sometimes I miss your auntie and your little brother. It’s more comfortable being here.”

Fang Xiu paused. “But now that you know ghosts exist, you’ve never once asked me about them.”

“Oh, that.”

Yuan Ye sighed. “Last time I went to a temple, the priest explained some basics. A violent death combined with obsession is what creates a ghost.”

“Your auntie and your brother didn’t have that kind of obsession. They did their best, and they knew I was still alive. So they…”

He pressed his lips together. “They believed the culprit wouldn’t escape.”

Fang Xiu said nothing.

When Auntie Qin and Yuan Yongan died, their hearts were full of concern for the living. Fear, worry, courage, love—they might have felt many things, but they hadn’t developed the kind of twisted obsession that turns into a grudge.

Just like his parents.

The air grew heavier. Yuan Ye quickly changed the subject. “That criminal was executed a long time ago. There’s no need to worry.”

“Now that you’re home, and brought back, um, family, why don’t we start looking for a new, bigger place? I don’t know what you like. We can ask Xiao Bai… Lao Bai… Xiao Bai* to help pick.”

*Clarity: Xiao is normally used to addressed someone much younger, while Lao is more appropriate of someone of similar age, older, or similar status… In Bai Shuangying case though… both can be applicable but not really.

Fang Xiu didn’t respond.

He stood and touched the old, scratched-up, fragile metal security door.

“Dad, you’re not staying here just because it’s hard to sell, or because you miss them.”

Fang Xiu curled his fingers and tapped the door lightly twice.

“If anyone looked into it, they’d see you’ve been taking care of me with everything you’ve got. I’m guessing you’re waiting for someone to knock on this door—to see if any foolish Guishan cultists try to get revenge, since it’s hard to enter my hospital room.”

“If someone shows up…”

Then you could justifiably, and legally, beat the attacker to a pulp and make up for the helplessness of that time.

Officer Yuan didn’t confirm, but he didn’t deny it either. He stared silently in the direction of the family photo with eyes that had yellowed with age.

Of course. Hatred isn’t something that fades easily.

But Fang Xiu knew this approach was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst.

Even if he bathed in the blood of the Guishan cultists, that regret would never vanish. It would only grow heavier.

There was only one way to cure this curse-like torment—

Knock, knock, knock.

Fang Xiu smiled, rapped the door three times, and opened it.

“Dad, let me show you our workplace.”

Yuan Ye turned around in confusion. The moment he saw what lay beyond the door, all his worries were swept away by shock—the hallway outside was gone, replaced by a spacious, modern residence.

The living room alone was bigger than his entire apartment.

The space was still empty, with only the essential furniture, clearly waiting for its new owner to furnish it. At the moment, the thing most present in the room was… ghosts.

These beings had pale faces, missing limbs, and one even had half a head. Some were restlessly drifting about. Even the most materialist observer would have guessed their identities.

Officer Yuan: “???”

“Well, if it isn’t Lao Yuan!”

The ghosts rushed over as soon as they saw him. “Wow, Lao Yuan, you can actually see us?”

“Well, we are in the Underworld. Of course he can see.”

“We’ve been in the same ward for so long, and this is his first time seeing us…”

“Lao Yuan, do you know who took that pen from your office? I do!”

Officer Yuan quietly swallowed a heart pill and followed Fang Xiu forward. But after just two steps, Bai Shuangying placed two fingers on his shoulder. “The living may not enter the Underworld.”

Then he brushed his fingers along the shoulder. “…Now you can.”

“Thank you.” Fang Xiu turned in place and gave Bai Shuangying a big hug.

Bai Shuangying narrowed his eyes in satisfaction. “I will always protect him.”

As he drew near, the ghosts scattered like birds, falling silent.

Yuan Ye had grown used to the two of them being attached at the hip, but not this. He moved his shoulder and felt a chill. “What was that just now…?”

“I left my aura on you. Forget minor ghosts—even King Yan won’t lay a finger on you.” Bai Shuangying sounded very confident.

Officer Yuan shut his eyes and gave up on trying to understand this ghost’s place in the divine hierarchy.

As long as Fang Xiu wasn’t being taken advantage of, it was fine.

……

“From now on, you don’t have to wait for me to get lucky.”

In the massive living room, Fang Xiu leaned against his ghost and gave instructions to the ghosts present. “The First People’s Hospital will have Disaster Relief Tower envoys stationed there long-term. Just sort your reports as usual and give them the data.”

“They’ll verify whether your targets have blood debts. If it’s something the living can handle, it goes to the mortal world. If not, I’ll handle it. I’ll guarantee that no one gets away.”

The ghosts looked thrilled, their bloodstains even turning brighter.

Fang Xiu: “In exchange, I want intel on the Guishan cultists and other villains on the loose.”

“If you provide valuable information, we also offer custom death methods for those targets.”

Beside him, the paper servant Dian’er scribbled furiously on a notepad, glancing fearfully at Fang Xiu from time to time. Its deformed eyes were full of dread.

“Th-there were ghost immortals earlier, demanding an explanation,” it whispered. “You destroyed their Immortal E’s, and Lady A’Shou said she’s not dealing with it…”

“Oh, I’ll properly investigate their background,” Fang Xiu said cheerfully.

The Disaster Relief Tower collected Immortal E’s mostly out of necessity, but sometimes they kept them on purpose to suppress overly violent ghost immortals.

If it was someone like Old Man Fu, good riddance. The fewer threats, the better. But if it was a ghost immortal like A’Shou—

“I’ll arrange suitable rituals for ghost immortals who deserve compensation. They’ll receive new Immortal E’s, plus extra rewards in the form of the souls of sinners.”

Of course, if the rejected ones caused trouble, Fang Xiu wouldn’t mind stewing them up for his boyfriend’s next meal.

It was true he had destroyed the E’s, but the real blame belonged to the gods. He trusted those millennia-old schemers would know better than to pick a fight.

“Excellent, excellent.” Dian’er patted its chest in relief and nodded repeatedly. “I’ll go inform Lady A’Shou right away.”

Fang Xiu gave a nod. “Thank you for your hard work.”

Yuan Ye: “…”

Where had this boy’s soul been floating all this time? Fang Xiu didn’t have the air of a helpless human soul at all. He gave off the aura of someone in charge. He had once assumed the evil spirits only feared Bai Shuangying. But clearly, they feared Fang Xiu just as much.

The red and the white—the two of them didn’t seem made for a peaceful redemption arc, but more like a duo that had clawed their way through bloodshed to stand side by side.

And more and more, he couldn’t figure out what Fang Xiu was trying to show him.

A dozen minutes passed. The ghosts dispersed in high spirits, and Dian’er vanished like the wind. The room fell quiet again, save for a small black dog dashing happily about, nose twitching as it sniffed everything.

Noticing Officer Yuan’s gaze, the little dog wagged its tail cheerfully.

Oh god, they were really settling down. They even had a dog now.

Officer Yuan chuckled. “Xiao Fang, looks like you’ve got your work all sorted out. That puts me at ease. Why don’t we head ba—”

“No.”

Bai Shuangying cut him off.

He looked toward Fang Xiu, who was petting the dog, with a faint, unreadable smile.

“Our real work hasn’t even started yet.”

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The author has something to say:

Next chapter: the Guishan cult is in for a treat—!

Husband and wife tag team combo (×

Damn it, why haven’t I found a chance to get them to seriously cuddle yet? Work is truly the enemy of romance!

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