Late Night Bookstore - Chapter 31

“Where is it?” Zhou Ze asked.

“At Xingfa Community. A man and his daughter, holding hands—I remember it clearly,” the woman replied confidently. “I even knew that man when I was alive! We argued once! He had the nerve to try and take advantage of me!”

Zhou Ze frowned slightly and warned, “If you’re lying or trying to play some dirty trick, I’ll make sure you won’t even have a chance to be a ghost.”

“Oh, come on, big brother. I may be dead, but I’m still a good person. You can ask around my community. Everyone says Sister Hong is a kind-hearted soul,” the woman assured.

Zhou Ze waved his hand, signaling her to be quiet.

The girl didn’t know who Zhou Ze was talking to, and of course, his voice was low, like he was muttering to himself.

“It seems a friend told me there’s a family in Xingfa Community with a similar dog. You might want to check there,” Zhou Ze said.

“Really? Great, I’ll go right away.” The girl took out her wallet to pay.

“It’s fine. No need.”

“It’s the least I can do. Thank you for the information.” The girl pulled out 500 yuan, trying to press it into Zhou Ze’s hand.

“Let’s wait until you find them,” he insisted, still refusing the money.

“Thank you, boss,” the girl said, wiping her tears as she left the bookstore.

“What a lovely girl,” the woman remarked, still sitting on the bookstore’s tiled floor.

“You can leave now too.”

“Oh, big brother, it’s hard to find someone who can hear me. Can’t you chat with me a little longer?”

The woman had a look of genuine frustration, as if holding back was exhausting for her.

“I don’t have time.”

Zhou Ze returned to the counter, picked up his nail clippers, and resumed trimming his nails.

“Big brother, your bookstore here doesn’t seem to get much business, does it?” she continued, trying to strike up a conversation.

As if remembering something, Zhou Ze asked, “Want to go down?”

“Down?” She was momentarily stunned, not fully understanding.

“Go to the place you’re supposed to go.” Only then did Zhou Ze remember that he was still a part-time Gui Chai¹.

“Is there any way I don’t have to go?” The woman asked with some reluctance, “My son is taking the college entrance exam this year. I want to stay with him until it’s over.”

Ah, the eternal love of a mother.

“If he knew his deceased mother was keeping him company during late-night study sessions, he’d probably cry,” Zhou Ze quipped.

Crying from gratitude was unlikely, but fainting from shock and jeopardizing his exams seemed probable.

“I’m just watching over him,” the woman said, looking a bit aggrieved.

“Suit yourself.” Zhou Ze waved his hand, too lazy to argue further. The little girl had explained the job to him—unless he overstepped his role and acted like some official judge, he could generally do as he pleased.

After all, the little girl didn’t set any performance targets, demanding he send down a certain quota of ghosts each month or quarter.

“Big brother, how did you become human again?” she asked, curiosity evident.

Zhou Ze frowned slightly.

She trembled noticeably and quickly quieted down.

About fifteen minutes later, she muttered something about her son getting out of evening study and left the bookstore.

After she left, Zhou Ze specifically went over and turned over the stool she had just been sitting on, but there was no ghost money left behind.

“She’s a thrifty woman,” Zhou Ze sighed, wondering if he was being too soft.

He was, after all, a part-time Gui Chai —a public servant of sorts—and yet, she dared come and go empty-handed?

Did she think temporary workers weren’t real employees?

Zhou Ze pushed open the door, walked out of the bookstore, and lit a cigarette. His neighbor Xu Qinglang seemed to have just finished cleaning; wearing an apron, he stepped out, saw Zhou Ze, and squatted beside him, asking for a cigarette.

The two men squatted in a row, with a desolate commercial center behind them and an empty street in front.

“Did that girl’s mother come to take her away?” Xu Qinglang asked.

“She went down,” Zhou Ze replied.

“Oh, she went down.” Xu Qinglang exhaled a cloud of smoke. “Once you’re down there, it’s hard to come back, isn’t it?”

“I’m not sure,” Zhou Ze admitted, shaking his head.

As the little girl had said, he’d only taken a brief walk on the Yellow Springs Road without fully experiencing the terror of the underworld.

“What is hell like?” Xu Qinglang asked, exhaling a smoke ring.

“I don’t know much about it.”

There was nothing much left to talk about, but going back to the store felt even more boring. After finishing their first cigarette, they naturally lit a second.

“How’s your wife?” Xu Qinglang asked, hitting a sore spot.

“We’re separated,” Zhou Ze muttered.

Xu Qinglang chuckled.

Another pause.

On to the third cigarette.

“I need to go back home soon. I’ll make more sour plum juice tomorrow and save some for you.”

“Thanks. You’re not local?”

“No, I’m from Menhai.”

Menhai was a county under Tongcheng.

“I have a relative getting married. Honestly, I don’t want to go, but not going isn’t an option. After all, we grew up playing in the mud together and shamelessly joined the wedding procession just to ask for red envelopes and lucky money.”

“Are they asking you to be the bridesmaid?” Zhou Ze asked.

“Yes, the bridesmaid…” Xu Qinglang caught on, giving Zhou Ze a stern look, “You mean the groomsman.”

“Were you married in your past life?” Xu Qinglang asked out of the blue.

“No.” Zhou Ze replied.

“Well, lucky you. You’ve got yourself a wife for free in this life.”

“She doesn’t even…”

Zhou Ze stopped, not finishing the sentence.

Obsession… Xu Le’s obsession is still there.

Yes, it must be like that.

“Living means living well. My parents are gone. Completely gone. I need to grow up and find my own path. Maybe I’ll get a girlfriend soon.”

“A boyfriend is more likely,” Zhou Ze teased, blowing a smoke ring, delivering an extra sting.

“Heh, since I was young, I’ve been designing my future wedding in my mind—the theme, the style, the ceremony…”

“Isn’t that more of a girl thing to think about?” Zhou Ze asked.

“Men can have dreams too! Keep quiet, or no juice for you tomorrow!”

Zhou Ze nodded. “Alright, I’ll be quiet.”

“I’m planning to have a traditional wedding, a really old-fashioned one. I don’t want fancy cars—I want an eight-bearer sedan chair, like in the movies. I’ll even rent a horse, and dress in a traditional gown or Hanfu. Do you get the vibe I’m going for?”

Zhou Ze pointed ahead, “Like that?”

Xu Qinglang froze for a moment, squinting as he looked ahead, “What?”

“You can’t see it?” Zhou Ze asked.

Xu Qinglang’s face froze. He quickly retreated to his shop, then returned with something shiny he rubbed on his eyes, then gasped.

Indeed, down the empty street, an eight-person red sedan chair was advancing toward them.

The sedan chair bearers wore red sashes around their waists, with red crowns on their heads. Eight bearers moved in unison; as they proceeded, they took nine small steps followed by one large one, causing the sedan to bob slightly at intervals, while the bearers and the two musicians with suonas at the front would bounce along.

It looked quite festive.

But in this desolate area, the scene was enough to terrify any passerby.

Even Xu Qinglang was taken aback by the scene and found himself at a loss for words.

“Your wife?” Zhou Ze asked, gesturing to the wedding procession.

“Nonsense!” Xu Qinglang took a few steps back, almost retreating into his shop. “A ghostly wedding! Aren’t you going in?”

“Is there going to be a handkerchief toss?” Zhou Ze asked, patting his pants as he slowly stood.

“Be careful. They might drag you back as a bridegroom!” Xu Qinglang warned, “Do you want to run this bookstore or be a ghost’s husband?”

“That serious?”

Zhou Ze was a bit surprised. The ghosts he’d encountered before didn’t have such power or, to be precise, didn’t have this kind of influence.

If the sedan chair’s owner could really capture a soul for a ghostly marriage, should he step in?

As for the woman from earlier, he’d let her go, figuring her attachment would dissolve after her son’s exams. But this one—such a grand affair—wasn’t so simple.

Zhou Ze didn’t move, while Xu Qinglang, standing inside the store, glanced up at the talisman posted above him and still felt uneasy. Seeing Zhou Ze’s indifferent stance only made him angrier.

“You’re just a rookie ghost, while these are ancient spirits. Step back, and they might leave you alone.”

Zhou Ze still didn’t move. The sigil on his palm grew warm, seemingly alerting him that this one had to be sent down to prevent further impact on the living world.

The woman’s presence hadn’t triggered this reaction, but now, the mark clearly indicated otherwise.

Temporary positions aren’t easy; when things go wrong or tasks slip through the cracks, temps are usually the ones to take the fall.

Zhou Ze was in this rather awkward position right now.

The wedding procession halted about ten meters from Zhou Ze.

Two of the bearers lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, revealing nothing inside.

The suona player walked toward Zhou Ze, bowing a meter away, “My lady has heard of the promotion of the esteemed official, and has sent us to invite you to her residence for a celebration.”

The suona player had an attractive, delicate face but was extremely pale, with blush and lipstick that was a bit excessive, like a paper effigy from a ritual shop.

“You became a Gui Chai?” Xu Qinglang stepped out of the store, his face a mix of disbelief, as if the poor, unknown kid next door had suddenly become the town mayor.

“Don’t forget us when you make it big! And you were hiding this from me!” Xu Qinglang walked over, complaining to Zhou Ze in a playful tone, charming and alluring enough to make anyone swoon.

“I have something to consult with you, esteemed official,” the suona player said, bowing politely.

“Speak. What is it? No need to worry, he’ll handle it! From now on, this is his territory!” Xu Qinglang chimed in enthusiastically, stepping in as though he were the one in charge, brimming with smugness.

“My lady instructed us to invite the esteemed official, but she also requested us to bring back a man for her as a match. This man reportedly has over twenty residences in the living world, making him quite the suitable match for my lady.

Might the esteemed official know where to find this person?”

“……” Xu Qinglang.

TL Notes:

1. Guǐ Chāi (鬼差) refers to supernatural officials or attendants in traditional Chinese folklore, tasked with managing and guiding souls in the underworld. They play a crucial role in ensuring that spirits transition smoothly from the world of the living to the afterlife, maintaining order in the process. The term “guǐ” (鬼) means “ghost” or “spirit,” while “chāi” (差) translates to “official” or “attendant,” implying a duty or mission assigned by a higher authority in the underworld hierarchy.

Guǐ Chāi report to and assist higher-ranking figures like Yama King (阎王 Yán Wáng), the ruler of the underworld, as well as Hēi Bái Wúchāng (黑白无常), the Black and White Impermanence spirits who are tasked with leading souls to their destinations.