Chapter 94 "The House-Viewing Man" "I want to buy a piece of land from you, the name is..."

The Kerry Building made the news and tabloids again because two people were injured.

#Security guards investigate haunted building at night; wealthy woman's vengeful spirit attacks her; is Uncle Joe's long history of legal troubles orchestrated by a feng shui master?#

That night, many people involved lost sleep over it.

Jane Tatsuya finally got to experience the second half of the Day 5 building storyline.

He has a deal with the ghosts of the Carrie Building, and his spirit is quite sensitive.

After his senior sister left, he closed his eyes to rest. Somehow, someone came in and closed the door, and he fell asleep.

When he woke up and checked the alarm on his phone, it was almost 3 a.m.

He was breathing heavily, awakened by the tingling sensation on the back of his hand. He found it very difficult to turn over. His left arm was wrapped in a heavy cast, but his right eye was covered with gauze, and all he could see was a blurry white.

However, he soon sensed that there was another person in the ward, because the smell of disinfectant and a faint hint of menthol lingered around his nose. It wasn't the brand he usually smoked, but it inexplicably relaxed his tense nerves a bit.

"Awake?"

A lazy, clean male voice whispered in his ear, tinged with amusement, like a feather from a pigeon brushing against his earlobe, making his heart itch inexplicably.

"Who are you?" Jian Dieda asked in a hoarse voice, his throat dry and sore, but he found that he could not see the blurry outline of the ghost in front of him.

The long-haired man maintained his mysterious demeanor, reaching out to hand him a glass of warm water. His fingertips touched the corner of his lips, the cool sensation spreading along his skin.

"In the underworld, ghosts are called Happy Ghosts. Of course, our relationship is different. You can also call me Ah Yao."

He sat down next to the hospital bed, his figure both real and unreal, yet he could clearly feel Jian Dieda's uninjured right hand. The ghost even exaggeratedly grabbed his hands and blinked, begging for praise.

“BB, yesterday on the seventh floor, if I had been a step later, you would have been devoured by Ding Xirong’s resentment.”

As Jian Dieda recalled the carnage he had endured before falling into a coma, a cold sweat broke out on his back. This ghost from the 15th floor wasn't even in the records, but it always seemed to be around him, making it hard for him not to connect the dots.

He took the water glass and drank two sips, just wondering if there was any way to make the ghost named A Yao reveal its true form.

The man's fingers suddenly moved closer to his Buddha amulet, and the man in the suit immediately frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

The man muttered, "This broken Buddha amulet that Granny Zhu gave me can't ward off the resentment from the Jiali Building at all. Throw it away, and don't contact her again." As he spoke, he reached out to take it off.

Jian Dieda suddenly clenched his wrist: "It's something that can save your life, it's better to have it than not."

Ah Yao laughed, leaning closer to him until their noses were almost touching, the smell of menthol cigarettes intensifying: "With me here, why would you need this junk? Or do you not trust me?"

The warm breath brushed against Jian Dieda's face, and he suddenly remembered the entanglement in his dream that night. His cheeks instantly burned, and he could only coldly turn his head away to avoid eye contact: "We're not that close. Why are you always following me?"

Ah Yao ran his fingertips across the gauze on the man's cheek. Jian Dieda was no longer wearing his glasses; his black hair was softly spread out around him, with a few strands hanging over his eyelids.

The hospital gown made him look like a well-mannered and studious student; his awkward behavior was strangely endearing.

Ah Yao's half-joking gestures and voice were incredibly gentle.

"You're quite amusing. You have a body of four Yin yet a pure heart. You dare to investigate Jiali's affairs while handling Jian Xiang's mess. You don't seem like someone who's going to their death, but rather someone who's here to pay off a debt."

Jane was startled and was about to ask, "What did you just say?"

—Are you a player too?

The ward door was gently pushed open by a gust of wind.

Ding Xirong's figure floated in, her red clothes stained with blood, but she no longer had her usual ferocity.

The female ghost, always eager for excitement, said, "It's morning, and I'm here to do the head nurse's midnight rounds. It seems you two get along really well."

She stopped at the foot of the hospital bed, her eyes fixed on Ah Yao with a hint of apprehension. "This happy-go-lucky guy said you would help me, so I'll trust you this once. I'll reiterate what happened during the day: my mother lives in Block 3, 702, Fuk Wah Village, Sham Shui Po. You need to deliver food to her on time. She doesn't shy away from strangers; just give her my name."

Jian Dieda nodded in agreement.

Ding Xirong added, "Seventeen people have died in the Jiali Building in the last thirty years, all of them related to the recording studio on the top floor. Be careful of Uncle Qiao when you investigate; that man is more ruthless than a ghost."

After saying that, he turned into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared.

Ah Yao shrugged: "She's quite insightful, much smarter than when she was alive."

Jane Dieda continued to stare at him: "You seem to know everything. Did you also die in this fire? Are you connected to Shengtian Entertainment?"

Ah Yao didn't answer, but just smiled and tucked the blanket around him: "I'm just a good citizen, Mike. Take good care of yourself and get better. I'll go buy you some char siu buns. If you don't get better, I can't persuade Miss Ding to let you go."

As soon as he finished speaking, the mysterious man in the white light vanished without a trace, leaving only a wisp of minty smoke lingering in the air. It was as if what had been said had indeed come true.

The system also gave a brief notification about JianDieda.

[“Ding! Current story progress 42%! Congratulations on starting the hidden character: The Mystery of the Happy Ghost on the 15th Floor!”]

...

Just as dawn broke, Brother Wen arrived carrying a thermos.

Perhaps it was because he was too concerned, but the old chef's face was still grim, yet he still placed the thermos on the bedside table and began preparing his breakfast.

"Get up and eat. Xinjie made porridge with yam and pork ribs to replenish qi and blood. She'll be here this afternoon."

Jian Dieda hadn't slept all night. Exhausted, he propped himself up and was about to reach out when Wen Ge slapped him away.

"Don't move, I'll feed you." The master personally brought the spoon to his mouth, and the warm porridge slid into his beloved disciple's throat, carrying a faint salty aroma.

Jian Dieda couldn't resist eating a lot. He and Wen Ge and his senior sister didn't seem like they had only known each other for a few days. He was already treating this place like home.

Just then, Wen Ge suddenly noticed a cassette tape on the table and asked Jian Dieda, "Why do you listen to such old songs?"

Jian Dieda looked down and saw that the nameless cassette tape from home had come to the hospital again. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by something, and his breathing became erratic. He could only ask Wen Ge, "Is this cassette tape very famous?"

"You're checking the Jiali Building, and you don't even know this?" Brother Wen shook his head while feeding the patient some hot porridge, his tone filled with undeniable reminiscence: "The person who sang this song has been dead for almost twenty years. You know the record store on the 15th floor, right? I once had an exorcism performed there by Guofu Gang."

"Has the ghost of this record store been exorcised?" Jian Dieda grasped the key words, and Wen Ge sighed, "Yes, all three ghosts have been exorcised. It's just strange that the original singer of this song didn't leave any trace in the fire... I also tried to go to the underworld to inquire about the situation on the 15th floor, but I never had the chance to find out where the missing ghost went. The young people nowadays don't remember him. If this is the master tape, then it is very likely that it was his last song. The others were burned in the fire... and they were indeed completely destroyed 20 years ago."

Now that things have come to this, Jian Dieda probably guesses what Ah Yao's true identity is.

As they were talking, the head nurse came in and interrupted, "You're not talking about the superstar who was the king of Hong Kong back then, are you? I know him too! Hey, my dad used to have his cassette tapes, and his rendition of 'First Love' was amazing!"

Jian Dieda and Wen Ge could only nod in agreement.

The head nurse praised the deceased superstar a few more times before leaving with a heavy heart.

"Now that you've investigated up to the 15th floor, how much else have you found out about the Jiali Building?" Brother Wen asked in a low voice.

Jian Dieda confessed honestly: "Ding Xirong was probably pregnant with Uncle Qiao's child at the time. She wanted to go to his house to demand an explanation, but instead... she was turned into a bound spirit to fill the building's feng shui."

“A tragedy…” Brother Wen paused, his face filled with sorrow, and some of the porridge in his hand spilled onto the bed sheet.

Jane Diedda assured him.

“Master, believe me, I will definitely resolve this case properly, avoid causing any more karma, and give justice to all living beings.”

After Wen Ge left, Jian Dieda continued to investigate the case with the unsigned tape, but this time he was looking for a specific name.

At 3 p.m., Liao Xinjie brought afternoon tea from the Walled City, along with the latest Apple Daily of the day.

After entering the room, she placed the pineapple bun and mandarin duck on the table, sat down next to the hospital bed, her eyes full of worry: "Ah Xiang, Uncle Sun woke up and said that Ding Xirong's resentment had affected him last night. He's not seriously injured, just needs to rest for a few days. By the way, I went to see Ah Zhi. He's much better. He doesn't have a fever or talk nonsense anymore, but he still won't speak."

Jane Da breathed a sigh of relief, but still had doubts about Ah Zhi's side: "His sister still won't let us see him?"

“Yeah, it’s really strange,” Liao Xinjie scratched her head, crossed her arms, and pouted in distress. “She still thinks we’re the ones who hurt Azhi, and says we have to wait until the priest finishes the exorcism before we can get close. But I secretly said a few words to Azhi, and he pointed to his chest, as if to say that the videotape is still on him.”

Jane frowned. The videotape recorded the paranormal scenes on the seventh floor. If Sister Zhi gave it to the priest, it might anger the spirits and cause trouble instead.

"Once I'm able to be discharged and get out of bed, I'll go to St. Mary's Hospital."

Jian Dieda said in a deep voice, and Liao Xinjie nodded quickly: "I'll go with you! By the way, I saw that handsome guy with long hair downstairs at the hospital yesterday. He's the one from the tea restaurant last time. It seems like he's been following you!"

Jian Dieda's heart skipped a beat, and she realized that the person she had mentioned last time was A Yao. However, she replied perfunctorily, "Maybe you mistook me for someone else. What a coincidence."

Liao Xinjie persisted, "I was surprised too, but how could I mistake him! He looks just like someone from a painting, and I even saw him put a bouquet of white roses on your windowsill! Don't you two know each other?"

Jane looked at the windowsill and sure enough, there was a bunch of white roses on it, with dew still clinging to the petals.

Given that this was a hospital, no one would casually give white roses to patients, except for that omnipotent ghost. He started to keep quiet for fear of revealing more. However, the flowers were quite pretty, and the little card on them even had a chibi-style drawing of a little angel.

“B&B, I’m going to church today because it’s the weekend. I’ll come over for dinner tonight. (－ｏ⌒)——Ah Yao.”

Jane was speechless. Why was this earthbound spirit still going to church every day? Wasn't he afraid of being exorcised by the priest?

His expression paused involuntarily, which Liao Xinjie noticed, and she secretly smiled: "I knew this kid had a crush on someone! What a coincidence, Ah Xiang really knows how to keep things hidden!"

My senior didn't know that the relationship hadn't actually reached that stage yet. However, many interesting things still happened that night.

For example, when a ghost came home for dinner, he found a dark figure sleeping inside the bed. He then sneakily climbed onto the bed and started to press his whole body against it.

Jane was fast asleep when she was suddenly jolted awake by the weight of Mount Tai. As she breathed in the fresh air, she was met with a pair of incredibly bright eyes.

The man, feigning to protect him, supported the sides of his head. He had beautiful, shoulder-length black hair, the soft strands of which cascaded down their shoulders.

He gently patted Jian Dieda's back, his white shirt and trousers making his skin appear even paler. Although it wasn't autumn yet, he exuded a perfectly cool aura.

Under the lights of the ward building, he was so gentle and kind that he seemed otherworldly, exuding an aura of sacred inviolability. His eyes held a hint of inexplicable languor and nobility, yet when he smiled, he also had a touch of cynical roguishness.

Yes, this is Ah Yao, the cheerful ghost who pesters him every night. This is also the first time that Jian Dieda has seen him clearly with his own eyes.

So he subconsciously called out the name that should belong to heaven.

"...You are Chung Kai-yiu, the pop king of Hong Kong, the superstar who died on the 15th floor of a building?"

Ah Yao looked at him, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and after a long while, he smiled politely and spoke:

"Yes, I am... Zhong Jiyao. This male fan who exposed my identity, do you need me to give you an autograph?"

After he finished speaking, he sighed helplessly at the ceiling, "But my reputation won't be good after I die. Many people will say I deserve to die. Are you sure you want that?"

Jane was stunned, his mind flashing back to the days they had spent together.

The man's singing voice, his familiarity with the Carrie Building—it seems like everything has an answer, yet there are still many unsolved mysteries.

For example, the cheerful ghost in front of him who was very protective of him was none other than the superstar Chung Hsin-wang, who died under mysterious circumstances. He found it all very absurd.

According to what Brother Wen told him during the day, the death of King Chung was an unsolved mystery even more complicated than the building mystery. Some people said that as a Hong Kong superstar singer who was extremely popular more than 20 years ago, he chose to commit suicide by setting himself on fire in the recording studio of a record store. Since then, the entire building and its 15 elevators have become a ghost story.

Some people say that King Chung was deliberately cursed by his management company.

Some people say that he was unfaithful and that the evil spirit raised by the woman he loved was turning against him.

Some even said he developed depression due to stock market debts and being harassed by loan sharks...

Jian Dieda opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know what to say, so he could only reach out and gently touch A Yao's cheek.

A cool touch came to his face, and Ah Yao lowered his eyes and remained silent.

Seeing this, Jian Dieda suddenly hugged him from below, and A Yao immediately felt a warmth in his heart.

Ah Yao couldn't help but ask him, "Uh, what does this mean? You like me that much?"

Jane Dieda said coldly, "Please don't be so arrogant, you happy-go-lucky guy. I only comforted your fragile mind and body because I saw you were about to cry."

Ah Yao wrinkled his nose at how cute he was, and burst out laughing: "Okay, then to thank you, house-hunting guy, how about I buy a piece of land from you?"

Jane looked bewildered, her hair drooping over her eyes, looking rather obedient: "What kind of land are you buying?"

Ah Yao pointed to his heart and said, "Look, this is what I want to buy. I'll buy you a 'devoted heart' piece, and from now on I'll live here with you and never leave, okay?"