Chapter 9 Little Devil (9) "...She's still waiting for you, go back..."
On Monday evening, Lu Jinzhao finished his work and went home with his backpack.
My colleague had something to do in the afternoon and asked him to switch shifts with me. He readily agreed, and it was already 11 p.m. when I got off work.
At this time, most shops are closed, and only the streetlights remain on in the darkness, quietly and silently shining.
Besides the chain dessert shops outside the residential area.
His family's star-shaped cakes are also famous. They come in single-serving sizes, and if it's a birthday, there are also star candles.
But he wasn't so lucky today; the last star-shaped cake had been sold not long ago.
"Okay... then help me decorate some coconut shortbread." Lu Jinzhao looked at the remaining pastries from left to right, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
The shop assistant recognized the regular customer and smiled, "Okay, I didn't make a mistake in recommending it. Isn't it delicious?"
He bought a large box last time, along with some other snacks, as an apology to his new neighbors.
Lu Jinzhao smiled and gave a thumbs up.
He carried the snacks and walked towards home. His shadow crossed the shadow of a street lamp, with a slow, gentle rhythm. The leaves rustled softly in response.
Listening to the sound, one can see the shape of the wind, like a gentle hand caressing the trees. But there are too many trees in the neighborhood, and the sound is heard everywhere, like countless hands gently and slowly reaching out from the gaps in the branches.
When the flowers are in full bloom, their fragrance is even stronger when there is no sunlight. With a touch of the enchanting atmosphere of the night, it is easy to lose one's sense of direction.
The day before yesterday, the delivery rider from our new neighbor's place got lost in the neighborhood.
Lu Jinzhao was walking normally when the streetlights above him suddenly went out with two "buzzing" sounds.
He stopped walking, but instead of looking up, he glanced back and saw nothing.
She's following him again... and she's even more brazen than before.
He continued walking forward, but kept an eye on what was behind him.
The closer they got to Building 9, the stronger the presence of the stalkers became. When there were only two buildings left in front of them, the stalkers stopped pretending and Lu Jinzhao heard the sound of hopping and skipping behind him.
Yu Guangzhong noticed that there seemed to be someone in the equipment area next to Building 9, but he didn't pay much attention. He checked his phone and saw that there were still 5 minutes until midnight.
Deal with the immediate issue first.
Lu Jinzhao walked into the building and the door closed. He didn't go upstairs, but turned around to face the door, waiting for the person following him to open it.
But the tracking sounds disappeared.
Midnight has passed, and the stalker still hasn't opened the door.
Lu Jinzhao tilted his head in confusion.
Rewind ten minutes, and the little devil stepped across the shadow of the street lamp and followed Lu Jinzhao.
After walking halfway through the neighborhood, it suddenly twitched its nose.
It smells...it still smells good.
He looked around, becoming distracted as he followed.
It wasn't until it was near Building 9 that it spotted a familiar figure sitting on a stone bench behind a clump of trees.
It took a step forward, wanting to run over, but then remembered what it was doing and tried its best to hold back.
It remained expressionless, staring intently at Lu Jinzhao ahead, as if afraid that if it glanced at him too long, its legs would take over and it would run away.
Lu Jinzhao entered the building, and the little devil lagged behind by two steps; time was almost up.
Its mouth twitched to its ears, and it ran to the door, a dagger appearing in its hand.
Just as it was about to open the door, it heard the sound of sparks flying and instinctively turned its head.
The star candles were lit, and sparks spread outward like tiny fireworks, illuminating the cream cake and the handsome chin of the man in black.
The man in black rested his cheek on one hand, his eyes under the hood seemingly looking at it.
The little devil froze, and after a few seconds of reaction, it cautiously speculated, "Is this... a cake for it?"
"That's it!" it cheered inwardly, overwhelmed with sweet joy, and immediately let go, running towards the man in black.
Xie Tan sat there quietly.
It ran over and sat down next to him, its mouth agape as if to laugh, but remembering Xie Tanxi's quiet nature, it suppressed the terrifying laughter.
Its all-white eyes were wide open, reflecting the burning light of the stars.
When the candle went out, it carefully took it off, held it in its hand, reluctant to throw it away, and with its other hand, it scooped up the cake and began to eat it obediently, savoring every bite before swallowing, eating very slowly.
Xie Tan didn't say anything, just propped his head up listlessly, as if he were asleep.
After the little ghost finished eating, they stayed quietly in the midnight air for a while. The wind was still so gentle it was eerie, yet the human and the ghost lived in perfect harmony.
Xie Tan didn't check the time, but it had been long enough. He got up and left, saying, "...I'm still waiting for you. Go back now."
He was a little sleepy, and when he opened his mouth, the first "he" was so soft that it was barely audible.
But he thought it was too late to go back.
Xie Tan took a step forward, and there was a crisp clanging sound behind him. He turned around, but the little devil was gone, as were the star candles.
But the dagger was still on the table, half flipped over by the wind.
What was left for him?
I wouldn't give it to him for self-defense, would I?
It didn't matter. Xie Tan put away the dagger, went home, and had a good night's sleep.
The next few days were calm; the kid disappeared, and the comics weren't updated, but there was some commotion online.
It was initially rumored online that Yuan Luhang would be the important second male lead in the director's new movie, but just a few days later, the whole internet changed its story and it was rumored that another male actor was involved.
Yuan Luhang's fans were dissatisfied, feeling they had been tricked. They pointed out that the film's screenwriter had interacted with Yuan Luhang recently, suggesting something was amiss. So they passionately voiced their opinions online.
After a few days of uproar, news suddenly broke that Yuan Luhang lost control of his emotions during the audition, yelled at the producer, smashed props, and caused a scene, which became a trending topic.
Its reputation plummeted, and the entire internet erupted in mockery and ridicule.
[Him, playing a great demon? Doesn't he have a mirror at home?]
[In terms of acting skills, after more than ten years in the industry, only his debut work is watchable. In terms of appearance, he has absolutely nothing to do with being considered the most attractive. In terms of character, he's been yelling at producers and throwing things, turning normal competition among other actors into a scandal, and he doesn't even appreciate the production team's efforts. Now he's satisfied.]
[His ambitions are sky-high; this nobody's acting like a big shot worthy of an Oscar.]
Xie Tan was certain that he had succeeded in stopping them that night.
The next update should cover the events of that night, Yuan Luhang's situation, and an ending.
"Hello, what kind of dessert would you like? Our chocolate egg tarts are delicious, and this bread is also very popular. It's crispy on the outside and filled with pineapple chunks and cheese..." The shop assistant approached enthusiastically, and seeing that Xie Tan still didn't know what to choose, asked again, "Or like last time, the star cake?"
Xie Tan thought for a moment: "Do you still have coconut pastries?"
"Yes, I'll pack it for you."
Xie Tan walked home. Yuan Luhang's accident happened more easily than he had imagined, and it seemed there was no more room for him to make a move.
That's fine too. He can finish his scenes early, eat and drink as he pleases, and wait for the comic to update so he can plan his next move.
It's a pity, but the mystery of who the man in black is will have to wait until next time.
The cat clung to the dessert box, its chubby body almost disappearing into the bag. Xie Tan simply took it out, and the two of them ate as they walked.
I don’t know if it’s because he is “blank”, but he can’t eat anything else, but he can eat the things that he is fed by him.
To this, the cat proudly declared, "This is the bond between us, meow!"
Xie Tan: "..."
Xie Tan said coldly, "This is a horror comic."
He didn't buy much; most of the snacks ended up in the cat's stomach. Before they even reached the building entrance, the snacks were all gone.
The cat lay in the dessert box like a cat pancake, covered in crumbs, and rolled around twice in blissful contentment.
"Come out, throw the box away."
The cat, still wanting more, ran into the air and shook the trash can to loosen the crumbs before coming over to nuzzle its host.
Xie Tan was wise enough not to flick the cat away with a single fingertip.
Suddenly, he felt someone watching him.
Xie Tan turned his head to the side, the willow branches swaying gently, like long hair being blown by the wind, to express the unspeakable words of the deceased.
He's being followed; the kid's here again?
Yuan Luhang must have reached the end. Sure enough, the cat snuggled up to him and whispered, "The comic has been updated again. It seems to be an event on the comic website recently, meow."
Although he didn't see any ghosts, they were all old friends, and if he wanted to kill them, he would have done so long ago, so Xie Tan didn't care.
That's how kids are; they'll step in puddles, throw stones, and even play hide-and-seek when they're being followed.
He walked while reading the latest episode, which featured Yuan Luhang's audition and Xiao Gui's pursuit of Lu Jinzhao, two parallel storylines running in parallel.
Yuan Luhang greeted the staff with a bright smile. He understood the importance of a good impression and reputation. There were many opportunities to work with big directors in their production teams. He was still one step away from success. Now was not the time to be arrogant and give people attitude.
But when he went to the bathroom alone, his face naturally fell again. He glanced at his watch; it was almost time.
Unlike "wisdom" and "beauty," "luck" does not require a process of change.
There is no such thing as "gradual luck." When good fortune arrives, it's just a whim of God. If it happens to you, that's who you are. Everyone prays for "instant wealth."
Yuan Luhang calmly thought, how much real talent do those who became famous have? Aren't they just lucky?
Why can't he? He's better than all of them, better because he even takes control of his own destiny.
There is no reason why it cannot succeed.
He doesn't need to be the best actor; he will be the luckiest person today.
When it was his turn, he walked out of the restroom and headed towards the audition scene at the deserted temple with great enthusiasm.
But like a joke, he forgot that after midnight, it would be "tomorrow".
What's the point of being the luckiest person today?
In the other half of the scene, the little devil who was about to push open the unit door and attack Lu Jinzhao stopped and looked at the star that was burning for him.
The star-shaped candles zoomed in and out, and within the outline formed by the sparks was the disdainful face of the audition producer.
This producer once approached Yuan Luhang to play the second male lead in an idol drama, but Yuan Luhang refused. He already disliked idol dramas because they were considered lowbrow, and he was criticized for acting in them. Now that someone else is approaching him, he's not even the male lead. How could he possibly recognize him?
He spoke without thinking, cursing the production team for being trash, looking down on people, and destined to flop. When this reached the producer's ears, a feud was formed.
"Why did you want to try out for this role?" the producer asked gently, seemingly genuinely regretting his decision. "Of all the roles, this one is completely unsuitable for you. I thought you didn't like playing the second male lead."
"Does Sister Wang know her?"
"Of course, he helped me a lot," Sister Wang laughed. "If he hadn't rejected my role, my lousy drama wouldn't have become a hit!"
Now everyone could tell there was a grudge, and they understood what was going on.
Yuan Luhang panicked when he sensed something was wrong, and forced a smile: "It wasn't me who refused. My reputation wasn't good back then, and I was afraid of dragging down Sister Wang's film. Everyone knows you have a sharp eye and can turn any role into a goldmine! I'm just unlucky. Thanks to you, I'm doing better now, and I have the chance to act in your films again!"
That was just polite talk, but when he talked about his efforts, he became more and more sincere: "For this role, I've been losing weight and working out, I've studied the script for a long time, and I even speak to people around me in the character's tone to help me get into character. Please give me a chance, I'm perfect for this role..."
"I'm afraid that won't work," Sister Wang interrupted slowly. "Your appearance is too different. But don't think I'm making things difficult for you. If you can't play the demon role, there are other roles. There's one role that hasn't been decided yet, but it requires even more acting skills. Can you handle it?"
"Okay! I can do it, I can—"
"Then you can act, play Li Li."
Everyone present laughed. Li Li's character is a pregnant woman. She doesn't have many scenes, but they are all challenging and require a lot of acting skills.
The hardest part was when she was tricked into a deserted temple, her belly was possessed by a demon, and she gave birth to a non-human monster, which caused her to die in excruciating pain.
Yuan Luhang realized he had been insulted. In a daze, he returned to the water, where he was repeatedly tossed about by the icy water, chilling him to the bone.
His expression was ferocious, his eyes were bloodshot, and he suddenly stepped forward and kicked their long table.
Amidst the chaos, there are interspersed scenes of the man in black and the little devil sitting quietly together, with the little devil eating cake.
Before leaving, the man in black said, "...She's still waiting for you. Go back."
Xie Tan was stunned when he saw this. The comic had even written out his almost silent first word, but why was it "she"?
His original intention was to say that Yuan Luhang was waiting for it.
Who is this "she"?
The scene shifts back to Yuan Luhang, who is clinging desperately to the audition assistant who is trying to stop him, his face contorted with madness as he reaches out to them, shouting, "I'm the most suitable one! This role should be mine!"
The hand swept wildly across the table, but what fell to the ground were offerings and ritual implements. In the dark room, Yuan Luhang's eyes were bloodshot; he had gone mad. He smashed and beat the carefully designed offering room, leaving it in a mess.
He grabbed the incense burner and smashed it at the doll god.
The doll god's stomach was smashed open, and its upper body was tilted to one side, but its eerie smile remained unchanged.
Bright red blood flowed from the doll god's refined essence into the bronze-colored old corpse.
Yuan Luhang grabbed the doll god and the golden base next to it and went to confront the sorceress.
The sorceress sat there quietly, letting him go mad, like a seated deity, coldly watching the ugly state of people struggling in the face of fate, neither caring nor asking questions.
But she didn't really understand why the kid wasn't working.
She recalled carefully that the problem started with that trap, where the target she had caught unexpectedly escaped.
Did she mispronounce the incantation? That's impossible. Where did she go wrong?
But since things have come to this point, let's address the immediate problem first.
Yuan Luhang reached for the shaman's tangled collar, but the shaman looked up first: "It's lost, but the rope is in your hands."
The blindfolded figure was right in front of him, staring directly at him through the old banner. It was not a statue of a god, but a ghost impersonating one. As soon as it caught him off guard, it coaxed him in a low voice, "What's so scary about it?"
A chill ran through Yuan Luhang's mind, colliding with his anger and forming a sinister aura that surged wildly within him. His veins throbbed: "What do you mean?"
The sorceress remained silent, tapped the golden base, and pulled a bloody umbilical cord from the hole, slowly wrapping it around the neck of the baby god.
The little devil left Xie Tan with a dagger and disappeared. He didn't return to Mingxing's side. Relying on his increased magical power, he no longer needed to follow the worshipper. Instead, he grabbed the star candle and ran around the streets.
It left the dessert shop and went into the children's clothing store, looking around curiously.
Suddenly, it lowered its head and scratched its neck, and its giggles turned into stuttering "ho ho" sounds.
The next second, it appeared next to the sorceress and the little ghost, as if it had been caught by the neck and pulled back in an instant.
Yuan Luhang was shocked, but quickly glared fiercely at the brat, still dissatisfied: "What's the use of bringing him back? Who will take what I want!"
The sorceress calmly said, "Do you think a mere imp could perform such precise life-snatching and fortune-stealing?"
Yuan Luhang didn't understand, but he felt vaguely uneasy. He didn't want to be at a disadvantage: "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just asking you, what's the use of bringing it back? To put it on a leash and order it to bite people!"
Upon hearing the word "dog leash," the tormented imp gave him a sinister look.
"Pretty much, but it's just a hostage." The old sorceress's aged lips slowly curved into a slight smile. "Tie it up here, and something will naturally work for you. Want to see?"
The sorceress took out an old mirror.
From the shrine to the sorceress's house, Yuan Luhang made many movements, but his back was never seen.
As the sentence ended, the camera zoomed out, finally revealing the star's full body—a long-haired woman was lying on his back.
The umbilical cord connected the woman and the little ghost. At this moment, the woman slowly floated up and left the star.
The woman's swaying figure was reflected in the mirror.
That's all for this episode.
Xie Tan suddenly stopped on the stairs; he was just one step away from the second floor.
The little devil was chained up, and the one following him was...
In the dimly lit stairwell, it felt as if some soft, silky hair was brushing against the nape of his neck.
A note from the author:
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