"Cheers!"
In the noisy izakaya, the patrons shouted and hollered without a care, and someone even started singing at the top of his lungs. The others clapped along and cheered him on. In a corner by the bar, two drunks were caught up in their drinking, repeatedly clinking glasses.
"Harada, my friend, come on, fill it up! One more round!"
"N-no more... I really can't drink anymore. Please, have mercy on me..."
Qian Xiaoyi patted President Oiwa on the shoulder and laughed drunkenly. "Come on, old buddy, you're giving up after just this much? I specially asked the boss to bring out a bottle of good liquor tonight. It'd be a shame not to finish it."
President Oiwa's face was as red as a monkey's backside. He narrowed his eyes and covered his glass with one hand, mumbling somewhat incoherently, "Qian, I've had enough for tonight. If I drink any more, I won't be able to get home."
"Is that so? What a shame." Qian Xiaoyi set down the bottle and sighed. "To be honest, old buddy, today's probably the last time I'll be drinking with you."
"Huh?" President Oiwa had grown rather fond of this drinking companion who'd treated him for several days. Hearing that, he asked curiously, "What happened?"
Qian Xiaoyi downed the liquor in his glass and said resentfully, "Just thinking about it makes me mad. I got word yesterday that the guy I've been working with kicked me out. He found someone else to work with, so I have to drop what I'm doing and fly back home to deal with it. I won't be able to drink with you anymore. Damn it, what a piece of work..."
"You mean that business partner you told me about?" President Oiwa said angrily. "That's outrageous! What kind of disgusting person would do that? You're the one handling the export business over here! How could he just kick you out like that?"
Qian Xiaoyi swirled his glass. "Well, there's nothing I can do about it. He's the one holding the supply. Maybe he's feeling uneasy because I'm the one dealing with all the clients here, and they only recognize me?"
"Hmph." President Oiwa snorted. "That guy's a coward." Hearing about Qian Xiaoyi's troubles seemed to remind him of something. For a moment, he felt the same indignation, burning with anger.
Qian Xiaoyi gave a cold laugh and continued, "But it's fine. I've got assets of my own. We started this company together, and once I get back, I'll have a little fun with him. I'm not going to let him kick me out so easily. It's still anyone's game! Maybe I'll turn the tables and kick him out instead!"
President Oiwa poured himself a drink and raised his glass. "In that case, I wish you good luck."
Qian Xiaoyi smiled faintly and drained his glass. Then he pulled a long, narrow wooden board from inside his coat. By the light of the izakaya, President Oiwa could make out intricate, profound-looking patterns and writing carved into it. Qian Xiaoyi handed him the ruler-like piece of wood and said drunkenly, "Harada, we've only known each other a few days, but these past few days, I've only felt at ease when drinking here. I guess we were fated to meet. Take this."
President Oiwa took the wooden ruler and examined it closely. "What... is this?" The writing and patterns carved into it seemed to hint that it had something to do with religion.
"This? This is called a Law Ruler." Qian Xiaoyi spoke in a conspiratorial tone. "It's a Daoist ritual instrument. Didn't I tell you before, old buddy? I work in the coffin business, so I sometimes run into that sort of thing. You know what I mean... You don't? Then I'll spell it out... Ghosts. You've never seen one, have you?"
"Uh... n-no, I haven't," President Oiwa replied stiffly.
"I have." Qian Xiaoyi lowered his voice. "It was late one night. I was working overtime at my family's coffin factory..."
Qian Xiaoyi told a clichéd ghost story. The gist was that he'd accidentally violated some taboo and attracted an evil spirit, but luckily he knew an expert from a Daoist temple. After the man gave him this thing, whenever he saw a ghost, he would take it out, and he never encountered those things again. This treasure was dear to his heart. He hadn't even given it to his father when the old man asked for it.
It was a clichéd story, but President Oiwa listened intently. Looking at the Law Ruler in his hand, he asked, "Is this really that useful? Can it subdue ghosts?"
"Of course! That Daoist priest is a true master who lives beyond the mortal world!" Qian Xiaoyi boasted.
President Oiwa asked, "If that's so, then it must be very valuable. Are you sure you want to give it to me?"
Qian Xiaoyi waved a hand, tipsy, and pretended to be offended. "With the kind of friendship we have, why even ask? Are you looking down on me, old buddy? That master and I are practically brothers. I can just ask him for another one!" He meant he could make another one himself.
President Oiwa's expression turned strange. So you're brothers with everyone, huh?
Seeing that Qian Xiaoyi had started talking nonsense, President Oiwa didn't take him seriously and assumed he was just bragging. Still, he put the Law Ruler away.
"It's about time... I should go." Having given away the gift, Qian Xiaoyi got to his feet unsteadily and muttered, "...I've got a flight tomorrow, too. Boss, the bill!"
President Oiwa stood as well. "I've had about enough, too. Let's leave together."
They walked outside. Summer was almost here, but the night was still a little chilly. The wind cleared President Oiwa's head somewhat. At a fork in the road, just as they were about to part ways, Qian Xiaoyi grabbed President Oiwa's hand, swaying as he spoke. "O-old buddy! I'm heading back now. Who knows if we'll ever see each other again... I'm going back to deal with that bastard! You do the same—don't let your business partner look down on you! Be like me and kick him out, then become the boss yourself!"
President Oiwa thought, You haven't even succeeded yet, so how can I be like you?
But those words made the little scheme in his heart swell like a candle flame fed by oxygen, gradually taking over his mind.
If I could kick that guy out, would I finally become the real 'President Oiwa'? The tempting thought kept circling through his mind as he made his way home, wavering and turning it over...
He nearly ran into a figure by the roadside.
"Sorry..." He stopped and was just about to apologize when he noticed the figure flickering in and out of focus.
President Oiwa cursed his luck. The figure before him was a lingering spirit. If one of these spirits realized he could see it, it would instinctively draw near, even if it meant no harm. As a medium, he was far more sensitive to such things than ordinary people. Even touching one made him feel a tremor in his soul. It was an awful sensation, like a dentist drilling into his gums after giving him an anesthetic—not seriously harmful, but deeply unpleasant.
But it was already too late to escape. The lingering spirit was so close that it had pressed right up against him. Just as he closed his eyes and braced himself for the unpleasant sensation, he suddenly felt something in his coat grow hot. Then the lingering spirit, which had lost all capacity for thought, showed an expression of fear—and disappeared.
"What is this..." President Oiwa lifted his coat and saw the Law Ruler Qian Xiaoyi had given him standing upright in his inner pocket.
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