Late Night Bookstore - Chapter 32

The world was deteriorating, and people no longer held the values of old!

Many people lament that in today’s society, materialism has pervaded every aspect, with even marriage subjected to calculated transactions on a scale.

However, even the ghosts nowadays were demanding this!

“You have over twenty properties in the world of the living, huh?”

“What a coincidence! My lady owns over twenty properties in the underworld.”

“A perfect match!”

“How joyous, how delightful!”

After the elderly man playing the suona asked that question, Zhou Ze couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth. He tried to suppress his laughter but couldn’t deny feeling utterly satisfied inside. He had long wanted to put his boastful neighbor, who never ceased to flaunt his “over twenty properties,” in his place. The arrival of this “ghost bride” was impeccable timing.

Karma always comes back around!

Xu Qinglang was so frightened he started sweating. Though he was somewhat skilled in metaphysical arts—capable of opening the yin-yang eyes, dabbling with puppetry, and adding a bit of Sichuan opera face-changing flair—he wasn’t anything close to a true Taoist master. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so timid around the little girl.

Quickly regaining his composure, Xu Qinglang lifted his head and looked skyward.

What did you say?

I don’t understand.

Who’s that? I don’t know him.

But then Xu Qinglang’s eyelid started twitching because he noticed Zhou Ze’s right hand, which had been resting by his side, suddenly raise an index finger and point right at him.

“@#￥%……&!!!”

A wave of bitterness surged through Xu Qinglang’s heart, like a flood of sour plum juice!

Two men playing suona walked up to either side of Xu Qinglang and said respectfully, “Please, young master, step into the sedan chair.”

Well, it seemed that the sedan wasn’t here for Zhou Ze, the Gui Chai; rather, it was sent specifically by the ghost bride to welcome her groom.

Zhou Ze mentally re-evaluated his “temporary worker” status.

“Don’t pull me, don’t drag me, don’t force me! Watch out, or I’ll fight back!”

Xu Qinglang struggled as the suona players pushed him toward the sedan chair. He had just said he wanted to start a new life and find someone, but he didn’t mean with a ghost!

“Zhou Ze, you set me up! You betrayed me!” Xu Qinglang shouted, looking rather like a virtuous woman forced to be a prostitute.

Better to die than yield; chastity must prevail!

“Why don’t you go check it out? Maybe the ghost bride looks like Joey Wong¹—wouldn’t that be a good deal for you?” Zhou Ze joked.

Xu Qinglang was then shoved into the sedan chair. The suona player turned to Zhou Ze and said, “Esteemed official, you may follow us. We will lead the way ahead.”

After speaking, the suona player pointed to the electric scooter parked by Xu Qinglang’s door. “Esteemed official, you may ride along.”

Zhou Ze remembered how he had once been safely escorted by a ghost driver in a paper car to the bookstore. Clearly, certain ghosts possessed abilities akin to “Qimen Dun Jia²”, making it impossible to explain them through normal physical principles.

The scooter belonged to Xu Qinglang, but Zhou Ze didn’t hesitate. After locking the shop door, he hopped on the scooter and followed the sedan chair.

The sedan chair carriers moved quickly, with a rhythm of nine light steps followed by one deep step. With each deep step, all eight bearers and the two suona players would leap, causing the sedan to sway along.

Immediately afterward, Xu Qinglang, seated in the sedan chair, let out a soft “Ah,” his voice delicate and melodious like an oriole’s song, enticing and sparking the imagination.

As Zhou Ze rode his electric scooter alongside the sedan chair, Xu Qinglang lifted the sedan curtain. His face appeared flushed, and his eyes held a glimmer of sentimental charm, as if refreshed. He bit his lip, giving an adorably bashful expression.

Just then, the sedan bearers took another deep step, causing the sedan to bounce, and Xu Qinglang involuntarily let out another “Ah.” His face showed a hint of anger, and he glared fiercely at Zhou Ze, utterly embarrassed.

Zhou Ze held onto the scooter handlebar with one hand, casually waving with the other. “Shameful,” he muttered.

“This sedan chair affects the soul. It stimulates the soul!” Xu Qinglang felt compelled to explain, worried Zhou Ze would think he was actually enjoying himself.

“An explanation is just a cover-up,” Zhou Ze replied. “Your mouth says no, but your body says yes.”

“……” Xu Qinglang fell silent.

With a final resentful glance at Zhou Ze, Xu Qinglang lowered the curtain of the sedan chair. That glance was like looking at a heartless man who was willing to sacrifice everything for fame and fortune!

Zhou Ze could see that the sedan bearers and the suona players were moving to a specific rhythm. They were merely puppets; their true forms were paper dolls crafted by a funeral goods shop, somewhat resembling Zhuge Liang’s³ wooden oxen and horses from the Three Kingdoms period.

The bearers continued with their “nine shallow steps, one deep step,” while Xu Qinglang would cry out periodically, and Zhou Ze followed along on the little scooter.

Before long, the procession had left the city and entered Tongzhou District. Until a few years ago, Tongzhou was a county under Tongcheng, only recently reclassified as a district. Zhou Ze had been here previously when helping the old lady from the morgue retrieve her money.

Eventually, the procession entered a desolate area off to the side of Jianghai Avenue, surrounded by tall buildings. This spot had likely been abandoned midway through construction due to special circumstances.

The rough terrain made it difficult to ride the scooter, so Zhou Ze dismounted and pushed it forward. After walking a few dozen meters, suddenly, the scene opened up.

The once dark and desolate area was now brightly lit and festooned with decorations. Ahead, over twenty outdoor tables were set up, each with ten plates of cold dishes neatly arranged. The place was filled with people, laughter, and chatter, with makeup and hair ornaments everywhere.

Someone called out loudly, “The groom has arrived!”

In an instant, a crowd of elegantly dressed women swarmed over. Zhou Ze suddenly found himself surrounded by a lively group, some even passing right through him and his scooter, bustling about tirelessly.

Zhou Ze clenched his right hand, feeling the mark on it burning slightly. In truth, he didn’t need the sigil’s warning; he was well aware that this was a situation a Gui Chai like him was expected to handle.

The spirits here had organized under the ghost bride’s influence, something that could not be allowed.

However, Zhou Ze continued to hold back. He was, after all, new to this temporary job, and rushing into things like a fresh official could very well backfire, potentially getting him killed. In the living world, when problems arise, it’s usually the temporary staff who get scapegoated, so Zhou Ze figured it would be no different in the underworld. After all, people in the living world go to the underworld after they die.

Moreover, Zhou Ze also understood that if it were easy to resolve, the little girl wouldn’t have asked him to handle it. The fact that the other side was bold enough to invite him as a guest showed they felt confident.

“Lower the sedan!”

The sedan bearers lowered the sedan chair, and Xu Qinglang was pushed out, looking reserved and embarrassed, yet visibly frustrated.

“The lady invites you,” announced a woman dressed in a black, traditional-style gown, bowing to Zhou Ze and Xu Qinglang.

“Let’s go,” Zhou Ze said, patting Xu Qinglang on the shoulder.

Xu Qinglang brushed off Zhou Ze’s hand in annoyance but followed him forward. As they passed through the banquet, surrounded by ghosts pointing and whispering at them, Zhou Ze felt a bit uncomfortable. Fortunately, the chaotic sounds faded when they arrived in front of a small, two-story red house.

The house was decorated with festive lanterns and new couplets for the New Year, creating a lively atmosphere. The layout was similar to modern houses, with a central entrance leading to the living room. The servant in the black dress gestured for Zhou Ze and Xu Qinglang to enter.

“Looking forward to it?” Zhou Ze teased. “If she really has the same charm as Joey Wong, don’t get too carried away.”

“I just hope she likes the ‘one dragon, two phoenixes⁴’ style,” Xu Qinglang retorted viciously, implying that if he was to suffer, he’d drag Zhou Ze down with him. After all, Zhou Ze had gone all out mocking him along the way, as if he was determined to see him humiliated!

It wasn’t as if Xu Qinglang was flaunting his “over twenty properties” on purpose—it was just the truth!

Inside the hall, they stepped onto a bright red carpet, with intricate cross-stitch embroideries adorning the walls.

A woman in a red wedding dress sat gracefully at a small table nearby.

On the table were exquisite food and wine.

“Esteemed official, dear groom, please sit,” the woman said as she rose, gesturing for them to take their seats.

Her face was obscured by a veil, so it was impossible to see her features, though her voice was extremely pleasant.

Zhou Ze took his seat and gestured for Xu Qinglang to sit as well. Xu Qinglang reluctantly sat down, figuring he might as well go along with whatever scheme was in store.

The dishes on the table were exquisitely prepared, with rich, appetizing aromas. The wine smelled fragrant and soothing.

“Esteemed official, dear groom, please help yourselves,” the ghost bride said, gesturing with her hand to dine.

Zhou Ze remained reserved, keeping his composure.

With an expression of anguish, Xu Qinglang downed three cups of wine in succession and shouted, “Great wine!”

He then dove into the food, venting his frustration through his appetite. Zhou Ze, watching from the side, clenched his chest, covering his mouth with his hand.

“What’s wrong? Eat! It’s delicious—better than anything I’ve cooked myself,” Xu Qinglang said, noting as a chef that the food was exceptional.

Haven’t you watched ghost movies before? Zhou Ze thought to himself.

But he said nothing, simply picking up his chopsticks to add more food to Xu Qinglang’s bowl, saying, “Good, eat up. There’s no sour plum juice here, so I can’t eat, you understand.”

Xu Qinglang grunted in acknowledgment and kept eating, determined to be “a well-fed ghost” if it came to that.

Moreover, the food was genuinely delicious!

Xu Qinglang even considered whether he might later get a chance to discuss recipes with the ghost bride. Dishes like these would put even top chefs at five-star hotels to shame.

Once Xu Qinglang had eaten his fill, Zhou Ze nodded in satisfaction and asked the ghost bride, “Madam, may I ask how these dishes were prepared?”

“No need for courtesy, esteemed official. This wine is brewed from the urine of passing travelers, and these dishes are crafted from the freshest selection of snakes, insects, rats, and worms…”

Xu Qinglang’s face turned pale. He pointed accusingly at Zhou Ze, but before he could say anything, he—

“Ughhh…”

TL Notes:

1. Joey Wong, also known as Wang Zuxian (王祖贤), is a well-known Taiwanese actress and pop culture icon in East Asia. She rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly for her roles in supernatural and fantasy films. Her most iconic role was the ghostly character Nie Xiaoqian in the 1987 Hong Kong film A Chinese Ghost Story (倩女幽魂), where she played a beautiful, ethereal ghost who falls in love with a mortal man. This role established her as a prominent figure in Chinese cinema, especially in the horror and supernatural genres, and earned her enduring popularity in both Chinese and international cinema.

2. Qimen Dun Jia (奇门遁甲) is an ancient Chinese metaphysical and divination system that originated around 2,000 years ago. It combines astrology, cosmology, numerology, and Taoist magic to predict outcomes and strategically plan actions. In traditional Chinese thought, it was often considered a highly advanced technique, used by generals, military strategists, and even emperors for everything from war tactics to decision-making.

In popular folklore and literature, Qimen Dun Jia is associated with mystical abilities, such as teleportation, invisibility, or influencing events and people supernaturally. These applications are fictionalized in novels, films, and dramas, often to explain phenomena that defy conventional logic or physical laws.

3. Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮) was a famed military strategist, statesman, and inventor during the Three Kingdoms period in China. Known for his intellect, he created various mechanical devices, including the “wooden oxen and horses” used for transport, often symbolizing wisdom and ingenuity.

4. “One dragon, two phoenixes” (一龙戏二凤) is a playful or suggestive idiom referring to a ménage à trois scenario involving one man and two women.