Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 187: Date (Part One)

After understanding what Fang Xiu’s “job” really entailed, Officer Yuan finally gave up staying in the old apartment full of memories. Of course, he had no intention of selling it. He simply stopped guarding it.

His long wait had come to an end and so had his career as a criminal investigator.

Within a week, a mortal-world agency approached Yuan Ye and offered him a brand-new government post.

In the days that followed, Officer Yuan observed his son, now exuding a strange and dangerous aura, and his son-in-law, whose taste in recipes was… intense. His son-in-law? Male wife? Son’s husband*?

*Clarity: He first used the term [nuxu] (女婿) which means “son-in-law” but as “man who is married to your daughter”. Then he uses the term for basically “daughter-in-law” but added “male” to it. Finally, he used the term [erxu] (儿婿) which is also “son-in-law” but as “man who is married to your son”.

Anyway, he was tasked with staying close to Fang Xiu and providing weekly reports.

For that, the mortal realm gave him generous compensation. After all, Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying had rejected all cooperation offers from official channels. Yuan Ye was the only one who could still interact with them up close.

Fang Xiu, of course, knew about Officer Yuan’s new position. He had even been the one to suggest it to the relevant agency.

Yuan Ye was getting on in years anyway. This job wasn’t much different from early retirement.

The bloodstained wheels that had once wobbled off course were now rolling straight ahead, racing toward a sunlit path.

They now lived in a spacious two-level apartment provided by the mortal institution. Yuan Ye lived downstairs, while Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying occupied the entire second floor.

Given Bai Shuangying’s nightly dining habits, the upstairs bedroom had excellent soundproofing, and the bed was especially comfortable.

At the moment, sunlight slipped through the cracks in the curtains, casting a golden line across the messy bedding. Fang Xiu stretched lazily, holding tight to his cool-skinned lover.

Bai Shuangying was roused from sleep by the embrace—he had recently begun practicing how to sleep, but he still couldn’t dream. So every night, he snuck into Fang Xiu’s dreamscape to wander and borrow a dream.

However, the God of Xushan wasn’t used to multitasking. Upon waking, he found all his facial features had slid to one side of his cheek and hurried to realign them.

Thankfully, Fang Xiu didn’t mind such details. Before Bai Shuangying could even get his mouth back in place, Fang Xiu leaned in and gave him a good-morning kiss.

The soft mattress dipped under them. Fang Xiu melted into the cool kiss, fingers sliding through the sleek black hair. Bai Shuangying skillfully wrapped his arms around Fang Xiu’s waist, absorbing the warmth radiating from his human.

Fang Xiu only pulled away when his head was spinning. “We’re not going to the Tower today. Taking the day off.”

Bai Shuangying looked at him with confusion. “What about Zhuang Chongyue?”

“Oh, he won’t die today.” Fang Xiu wrinkled his nose. “After how bloody it was yesterday, the other sacrifices will definitely be hiding in safe spots today. Zhuang Chongyue’s not reckless.”

They would slack off for a day, then tomorrow Bai Shuangying could use karmic pollution to confuse any memory gaps.

Now that only true criminals and cultists were left in the Tower—some of them teenage murderers or manipulators who drove others to suicide—Fang Xiu wasn’t worried about anything going wrong. If anything, he’d hate to miss a good show.

But today he had something else in mind—

“Let’s go on a date!” Fang Xiu bounced out of bed enthusiastically. “We’ve been busy since I got out of the hospital and haven’t gone on a single date!”

Bai Shuangying thought for a moment. That was true.

These past days, Fang Xiu had been managing Tower affairs and moving homes, with no time to see the outside world.

Last time they had a day off from the Underworld, Fang Xiu had been thrilled. Now, with a date added in, he would definitely be even happier.

“Okay.” Bai Shuangying nodded seriously.

Fang Xiu hummed a cheerful tune as he threw on his red T-shirt and layered a thick coat on top. It was still cold in early spring.

Once dressed, he grabbed a comb and silently approached Bai Shuangying.

Bai Shuangying eyed both Fang Xiu and the comb suspiciously. “I don’t need my hair combed.”

His hair was part of his true form. Even if he never combed it, it wouldn’t tangle.

“But I want to comb it.” Fang Xiu sounded disappointed, and even the tips of his hair drooped a little. “Men with long hair already stand out. You’re so tall too. Even if I put a mask on you, people are still going to stare.”

He lowered his voice. “That makes it harder for me to kiss you.”

Bai Shuangying plopped back down on the bed. “Fine. Comb it.”

Fang Xiu held back a laugh and sat cross-legged behind him.

Bai Shuangying’s hair was impossibly smooth, like flowing water. It slipped out of Fang Xiu’s hands on its own. The comb had fine teeth, but glided through without resistance, making a gentle, soothing sound.

Fang Xiu held the silky strands in his hands and combed with careful precision, like an artist sketching a portrait.

“This is the first time I’ve combed someone’s hair,” Fang Xiu said.

“Mm.” Bai Shuangying sat perfectly still, unmoving like a statue.

“When I was little, not many kids had siblings. I used to envy a classmate with a younger sister. He would braid her hair… That feeling of being able to help your family, I thought it was so cool.”

Fang Xiu quietly separated three strands and made a small braid. As soon as he let go, the hair slipped back into place.

“When I got older, I saw people watching romance films in the hospital. I used to think, if I had a long-haired girlfriend one day, I’d want to do her hair for her.”

Bai Shuangying’s hair rustled slightly. A single eye emerged from the back of his head. Pale and faintly glowing, it peered through the strands.

Fang Xiu paused and stuck out his tongue at the eye.

“Come on, it was just a thought. You know my situation. There was no way it could’ve been real.”

The eye kept staring at him.

“The point wasn’t ‘girlfriend’. The point was that I wanted to do something for the person I love.”

Fang Xiu kissed the hair softly. “What I mean is, I really, really like you, Bai Shuangying.”

The eye slowly closed and vanished into the hair. Fang Xiu took out a hair tie he had prepared and styled Bai Shuangying’s hair into a neat, clean bun.

Bai Shuangying reached back to feel the new hairstyle and paused.

“From now on, you can comb it whenever you want. As long as you want.”

Fang Xiu hugged him from behind and nuzzled his cheek. “You said it.”

……

Two hours later, Bai Shuangying, now in modern attire, stood silently in front of a jewelry counter.

Even for Fang Xiu, this was the first time visiting such an enormous jewelry store.

Gems sparkled in every color, gold and jade were sculpted into intricate designs, and some stones were so rare even the Mountain God himself didn’t recognize them—Xushan didn’t produce those kinds of things.

Honestly, Bai Shuangying didn’t understand why humans gave these metals and rocks such absurd prices.

Fang Xiu had dragged him straight to the most expensive counter, and the prices even made the Corner of Heaven’s Will raise an eyebrow.

One ring could buy enough cotton candy to last him ten thousand years…

Meanwhile, Fang Xiu rarely looked this conflicted, eyes sweeping back and forth across the display.

He looked at the rings, then at Bai Shuangying, then back at the rings again, and sighed in dissatisfaction.

The salesclerk’s expression was a bit strained. Bai Shuangying could sense her irritation. But after catching a proper glimpse of Fang Xiu’s handsome face, her annoyance vanished quickly.

“Hello, are you picking something out for your girlfriend?” the clerk asked with a smile. “We have some new styles this month. They’re very popular.”

She naturally assumed the masked and silent Bai Shuangying was just a friend tagging along.

“Oh, it’s for my boyfriend.” Fang Xiu rubbed his chin. “These are pretty, but… kind of… tacky?”

The clerk’s eyebrow twitched. Her gaze flickered with disapproval. These were top-tier designer rings. There was no way the aesthetic was off. Was this guy some spoiled rich kid?

As if reading her thoughts, Fang Xiu pulled Bai Shuangying over and briefly lowered his mask.

The clerk: “—!!!”

Her voice turned decisive. “Yes, the rings are definitely a bit tacky.”

That kind of face wearing these rings… It was like splashing mud on flower petals.

Boyfriend or not, with that face, anyone would understand. She understood.

“I’m afraid we probably don’t have anything suitable here,” she said sincerely. “Even custom orders might not meet your standards.”

Fang Xiu looked crushed. “But I have to give him a ring. I can’t exactly conjure one from thin air…”

He still wore the black hair ring Bai Shuangying had given him. It had the texture of black jade and was simple and elegant.

The strand of soul energy Fang Xiu had once tied to Bai Shuangying disappeared after they left the Tower.

But he still wanted to give Bai Shuangying a ring—a truly meaningful one. His ghost really cared about ritual!

While Fang Xiu was racking his brain, a beady-eyed, monkey-faced man strolled over with his hands behind his back.

He looked to be in his forties, balding, and clearly trying to present himself as some kind of “master”. But his features betrayed his small-minded nature—shifty-eyed and sketchy.

Fang Xiu noticed him from the corner of his eye.

Ever since they had approached the high-end counter, this guy had been secretly watching. From an outsider’s perspective, Fang Xiu had just acted like a rich, naive idiot.

Now that this man was getting closer, it didn’t take a genius to guess what he wanted.

“Young man, I couldn’t just watch in silence, so I came over to offer a word of advice,” the man said with an exaggerated cough. “I can see dark energy all over you. Your forehead is clouded. You’ve probably got an evil spirit attached.”

“Things haven’t been going your way lately, have they? If you don’t handle this soon, blood may be shed!”

Bai Shuangying: “…”

He turned to Fang Xiu and pointed at himself in confusion: “?”

His ghost was too cute. Fang Xiu had to bite his lips a few times to keep from bursting out laughing.

Fine, since they hadn’t found a suitable ring, they might as well have a little fun with this second-rate scammer. It would spice up the date.

“Master, how did you know?”

Fang Xiu instantly changed expressions, mixing panic and worry perfectly.

The man smiled smugly. “The secrets of the heavens cannot be revealed.”

“If you’re looking for a ring, why not come with me? I can show you a collection of antique rings that drive off evil and bring good luck. Guaranteed to satisfy.”

Fang Xiu grabbed Bai Shuangying’s hand. “Alright, alright. Can I bring my boyfriend?”

The man glanced at Bai Shuangying who was well-dressed, clearly wealthy, exuding an air of power, and couldn’t hide his glee.

“Of course. Please follow me.”

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