Chapter 52: Loyal Dog (Part 5)

Shao Quan no longer wanted to listen to her nonsense. He turned around and went back to his room, simply packed his things, and planned to find a hotel closer to the airport tonight to make do for a few hours.

Chen Jiu was helpless. Zheng Siyuan was crying behind her, no tears, just dry wailing.

“Think more positively.” Chen Jiu patted his shoulder in the empty air, saying: “What if he isn’t dead, but just became a vegetable or something? There are actually quite many reasons for not burning paper for you.”

Zheng Siyuan: “…”

Was there any comfort for ghosts like this?

Chen Jiu had no more tricks, scratched her head, and said: “Wherever he goes, just follow him.”

Zheng Siyuan refused: “What if something happens to him while he’s driving?”

Shao Quan’s complexion showed some fatigue. Chen Jiu’s back and forth was clearly just stalling for time. Although he didn’t know why Chen Jiu was stalling, what was obvious was that he had no more time to waste with her. Next, no matter what Chen Jiu said or did to him, he would no longer cooperate.

To his surprise, until he walked out the door, Chen Jiu made no further move to stop him.

That black cat circled around the room once, then jumped back onto her shoulder. A pair of green eyes stared at him faintly, somewhat eerie.

Shao Quan quickly withdrew his gaze and walked toward his car door.

His hand touched the door handle. Chen Jiu sighed: “Mr. Shao, don’t you want to ask what else your friend told me in the dream?”

Shao Quan did not stop his movement. He opened the door and sat in the driver’s seat, saying: “Whatever he told you has nothing to do with me. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first. I’ll transfer the service fee to you shortly.”

“Very well.” Chen Jiu stood by the car, unwilling to yield: “Since that’s the case, then I can only use that move.”

Shao Quan: “?”

Chen Jiu turned her face, made eye contact with Zheng Siyuan who had followed over, and raised her hand to beckon him.

Zheng Siyuan nodded, rushed over quickly.

So from Shao Quan’s perspective, Chen Jiu suddenly twitched all over as if electrocuted several times, then collapsed limply.

Shao Quan was startled: “Hey!!”

He quickly unfastened his seatbelt, got out of the car, ran to Chen Jiu’s side and pinched her philtrum hard.

“Hey! Boss Chen! Are you alright?” Shao Quan pinched for a moment, seeing no response, quickly pulled out his phone to call 120.

Just as he was about to dial, Chen Jiu suddenly opened her eyes, looked weakly at Shao Quan, and said in a low voice: “No need to call.”

Seeing her awake, Shao Quan let out a breath of relief. But when he met her gaze, his eyes went blank for a moment.

Logically speaking, there was no deep bond between him and Chen Jiu. Why would she look at him with this kind of expression?

“Stop looking, it’s not her.” Chen Jiu said, grabbing Shao Quan’s arm: “You’re not allowed to go anywhere these two days. Stay properly at home.”

Shao Quan was dazedly grabbed by the arm, walked inward a few steps, before reacting with shock: “Zheng Siyuan!?”

Chen Jiu’s footsteps paused for a moment, but it was only that almost imperceptible half second. The force gripping Shao Quan’s arm grew stronger. This was equivalent to tacit confirmation.

It was Zheng Siyuan.

Shao Quan’s throat instantly became rough and choked. He no longer struggled, followed Zheng Siyuan back to the main hall, and just stared straight at his eyes. When he received the news of Zheng Siyuan’s death, he had millions of questions he wanted to ask. But when he finally could ask, he couldn’t say a single word.

After a long silence, Shao Quan finally spoke, asking: “Why?”

Zheng Siyuan released his hand, turned around, his back to him: “I, how could I harm you?”

“All the commotion tonight was your doing, wasn’t it?” Shao Quan stepped closer, pressing on.

Zheng Siyuan retreated a bit, skillfully rummaging through the coffee table to find disposable tea sets, saying: “Anyway, I didn’t want to harm you. Just wanted to scare you. Who told you to scold me so harshly before? What can a useless wretch like me do?”

After speaking he went to make tea for himself with great interest.

How long had it been since he enjoyed these good things of the living world after becoming a ghost? He had to take advantage of this possession to experience it quickly.

Shao Quan stood in place, firing off like a string of pearls: “Did I say anything wrong? Today you’re the same too. A man in his thirties, doing everything according to his own wishes. Did you ever consider my feelings? Did you ever listen to a single piece of my advice? Even if I said it you wouldn’t listen. Who would want to care about you? Your parents not wanting you as a son is also your…”

Speaking to this point, he braked in time, nervously watching Zheng Siyuan’s reaction.

Zheng Siyuan slowly took a sip of tea, just oh’d. Anyway, he hadn’t been scolded by Shao Quan any less while alive. He had heard even uglier words. These two sentences after death didn’t count for much.

“You leave. I have no intention of forgiving you.” Shao Quan said with a cold face.

Zheng Siyuan said quietly: “On what basis? I’m a ghost now. You can’t do anything to me.”

Shao Quan: “You possessed Boss Chen’s body without consent?”

“She agreed.” Zheng Siyuan sold Chen Jiu out without thinking.

Shao Quan: “…”

Good heavens, wasn’t he Shao Quan the employer, the living person? Which side was Chen Jiu actually on?

“Very well, then you stay here yourself and enjoy your final moments.” Shao Quan straightened the wrinkled part of his cuff where it had been pulled, indifferently threw down this sentence, turned around and was about to leave again.

Zheng Siyuan took a deep breath, angrily saying: “Would you die if you spoke properly!!”

Shao Quan ignored him.

Zheng Siyuan grabbed the tissue box on the table and threw it hard at his back.

Shao Quan’s temple veins bulged, continuing to walk forward.

Zheng Siyuan grabbed the plastic ornament from before, took a running start, and threw it.

Shao Quan’s back was struck again.

“Enough!” He turned back in anger, looking at Zheng Siyuan: “How long are you going to be willful?! Throwing this childish tantrum, do you still want to fight me?”

Zheng Siyuan was stunned, finding his hair-standing-on-end-in-anger appearance especially funny, and suddenly burst into loud laughter.

Shao Quan cursed: “Lunatic.”

Zheng Siyuan laughed for a long time, sighed, and said: “I only have tonight left. Accompany me to finish the last level of that game.”

Shao Quan looked at him without speaking, wanting to speak but stopping. Scolding further would probably just be the same old clichés like mud can’t support a wall. He had long been immune to such vocabulary.

“I know you’ve been burning paper money for me.” Zheng Siyuan sat on the carpet beside the sofa, conveniently turning on the TV: “I’ve been collecting it all, but temporarily have no use for it.”

Shao Quan still didn’t speak, nor did he leave. He just stood there, still with a cold face. He wanted to hear what ivory could come out of Zheng Siyuan’s dog mouth.

“The only person in this world who remembers me is you. Bingbing is a dog, so it doesn’t count.” Zheng Siyuan said: “I know it’s embarrassing for you to hang out with me. You won’t have this annoyance anymore in the future.”

Shao Quan closed his eyes, feeling speechless. He tried hard to suppress the sourness constantly surging up from the bottom of his heart, took a deep breath, and still walked over, sat beside Zheng Siyuan, asking: “Play what?”

Zheng Siyuan was stunned, then immediately reached out and forcefully high-fived him: “Good brother!”

The two-player game was projected onto the big TV. Each held a controller, officially starting to clear the level, their shoulders deliberately not touching.

Zheng Siyuan suddenly thought of when they were in middle school, also playing disc games like this together. It’s just that later, disc games almost completely disappeared.

How many friendships can walk through two decades? How could Shao Quan be so heartless?

Zheng Siyuan’s eyes went red.

Chen Jiu had been silent all along, suddenly asking: “Can you not cry using this body?”

Zheng Siyuan immediately came back to his senses. The red character accidentally fell down, respawning at the starting point.

“So weak even at playing games.” Shao Quan indifferently mocked.

Zheng Siyuan: “…”

Time passed second by second, the sky about to brighten.

Near six o’clock, the two actually really cleared this game. Zheng Siyuan stared blankly at the settlement animation appearing on the screen, unable to believe it, murmuring: “We succeeded.”

Shao Quan glanced at him, disdainful: “Don’t tell me this is the obsession that kept you from reincarnating.”

Zheng Siyuan angrily said: “Go to hell!”

Seeing the two were about to spend more time arguing, Chen Jiu reminded: “Not much time left. If you have anything to say, say it quickly.”

“This quarter’s bonus is going down the drain.” Shao Quan sighed deeply, while sending messages on his phone, got up and asked: “Eat breakfast before making up sleep? What do you want to eat?”

“Not eating anything.” Zheng Siyuan looked up at him, saying: “Shao Quan, take good care of Bingbing, and then… then you live a long life.”

Shao Quan: “?”

What was this and what was that? What causal relationship was there between these two things?

“In my next life I won’t be friends with you anymore. Your mouth is poisonous, my heart is glass. We’re actually the most unsuitable people to be friends.” Zheng Siyuan said: “Bye bye.”

Shao Quan stood there not knowing what to say, his lips moving for a moment, finally only cursing softly damn.

He frowned looking at Zheng Siyuan, but saw Zheng Siyuan suddenly close his eyes, his head tilt, and collapse limply.

This scene was identical to when he possessed her. Shao Quan finally realized something, his eyes widening suddenly, but for a long time made no move.

A few breaths later, Chen Jiu opened her eyes, sat up nimbly, patted her pant legs and stood up, looking at Shao Quan, rather regretfully saying: “Uh, Mr. Zheng has already left.”

Shao Quan’s phone clattered to the ground. His fingers unconsciously trembled a few times. Then he realized he was now very discomposed, quickly bent down to pick up his phone, turned around trying hard to show composure, asking: “I know, mm, I’m about to make breakfast now. Would Boss Chen like a portion?”

“I don’t need it.” Chen Jiu waved her hand.

Shao Quan didn’t speak again, quickly entered the kitchen.

Chen Xiaoxuan followed over, but was grabbed back by Chen Jiu, held in her arms, and toward Shao Quan’s retreating figure said: “Then we won’t disturb you further. Farewell.”

The main door closed, emitting a dull sound.

Shao Quan supported himself on the edge of the dining table, thinking that at this age one really couldn’t stay up like this. Staying up too hard, it made him dizzy and blurred, his legs so weak he could barely stand.