Small Vendor, Eat Your Fill Before You Go

When I heard the four words "no cash accepted," it was like a thunderclap had exploded over my head.

My emotions were like riding a roller coaster.

I was just about to use it, yet Squid Master told me at the last moment that he would not accept it?

"Sir, I don't have any money in WeChat. Hurry and take it!"

My heart was racing, but I still pretended to remain calm.

After wiping his hands, Squid Master smiled at me again.

He lowered his voice and said:

"Little brother, I can't accept your Ghost-Falling Money!

I'll only charge you two yuan for these squid skewers. Keep the coin for yourself.

Whether it brings fortune or disaster, you'll have to bear it yourself."

With that, Squid Master directly took two one-yuan bills from my hand, but did not touch the coin in my palm.

Yet Squid Master's words filled me with dread.

Ghost-Falling Money?

It was the first time I had ever heard that term. I had no idea what it meant.

But most importantly, it was already 6:00 p.m.

My whole body seemed to deflate.

Even though I had already guessed there was something strange about this money and that I had to spend it.

I had even found the nearest shop where I could spend it as quickly as possible.

But no matter how much I calculated, I never expected this.

The uncle selling fried squid in front of me had actually recognized that the coin in my hand was unusual and even called it "Ghost-Falling Money."

I stood there in dejection for several seconds, but quickly pulled myself together.

Since the time had already come.

There was probably no point in trying to spend it now.

This uncle in front of me clearly recognized that there was something unusual about the money.

Maybe he could help me. Maybe he could point me in the right direction.

At the very least, I could ask him about it.

There were tens of thousands of students at the school, so why was I the one encountering unclean things?

Why had Zhang Qiang come looking for me?

I suppressed my agitation and unease, forcing myself to calm down.

I quickly sorted out my thoughts and looked at Squid Master.

"Uncle, since you recognize where this coin came from.

Could you tell me how serious this is?

What should I do now?"

Uncle Squid glanced at me and bared his teeth.

"What should you do? You're done for.

Your complexion is already this bad. What's the difference between you and a corpse?

I'd say it'll happen tonight.

Your money has already started turning black. It's useless even if you spend it now.

What's coming will still come.

Before it gets dark, eat your fill and try to look decent when you go!"

After saying that, he waved at me, signaling for me to leave on my own.

He never mentioned ghosts, but every word sounded like a death sentence.

What he meant was that I would definitely die tonight.

I lowered my head and looked at the coin in my hand.

I found that it was exactly as Uncle Squid had said.

The bright silver coin now looked as though it had been scorched by fire, its surface turning somewhat black.

That eerie change made me feel as if I had fallen into an icy abyss. My heart went completely cold.

I wanted to ask more, but several young men crowded over to buy squid.

Uncle Squid did not spare me another glance and focused on making his grilled squid.

Since he had already made himself clear and was no longer even looking at me.

I had no reason to shamelessly beg him for help.

Looking at the blackened coin in my hand, I felt somewhat despairing.

But there was also a trace of defiance.

Who the hell had I offended?

Did I have to die just because a ghost wanted me dead?

Even Xiao Yu, my ex-girlfriend of more than a year, hadn't managed to kill me.

Could that idiot Zhang Qiang really drag me down with him?

I'd brought that bastard food dozens of times and even helped him write his papers.

He fucking jumped into a lake and died, and now he came looking for me?

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. If I really could not avoid it tonight.

I would definitely fight him. I had nothing left to lose anyway.

As I thought that, I somehow did not feel so afraid anymore.

I clenched the blackened coin in my hand and called out to the master who was frying squid.

"Thanks, Uncle! If I'm still alive tomorrow, I'll come back for more squid."

With that, I turned and left.

But Uncle Squid called out behind me.

"If you can still come tomorrow, I'll take that Ghost Money and let you eat all the squid you want!"

Hearing that, I paused and looked at Uncle Squid.

He was still frying squid and did not look at me.

But I smiled and said:

"Deal!"

Then I headed down the street.

I had not eaten for two days, and my stomach was growling.

Just as Uncle Squid had said.

If I really could not escape it, I might as well eat my fill first.

When I passed a clothing store, I saw my reflection in the glass.

My complexion truly looked awful—deathly pale and completely bloodless.

I really did not look any different from a corpse on an autopsy table.

I touched my face.

I finally understood why Zhang Qiang had inhaled at me last night.

Fuck, he had definitely been sucking away my yang energy, which was why my complexion was so terrible now.

I let out a long breath, found a small hotpot restaurant ahead, and sat down to eat and drink by myself.

If I could not escape it, then I would at least have one good meal.

I just could not understand why I was able to see unclean things.

It had been the same with Xiao Yu, and it was the same with Zhang Qiang.

By the time I left the hotpot restaurant, it was already nine at night.

I had no idea where to go.

The pitch-black sky made me feel deeply oppressed.

Then my phone rang.

I took it out and glanced at it, and my heart tightened again.

Because Zhang Qiang was calling me.

My breathing immediately grew rapid, and for a moment, I did not dare answer.

Saying I was not afraid would have been a lie.

I felt completely at a loss.

Could a dead man still make phone calls?

Or was someone else using his phone to call me?

But as the old saying went, whether it was fortune or disaster, disaster could not be avoided.

Since it had already come looking for me, blindly hiding from it was meaningless.

That also went against my principles.

I steadied myself, swallowed, and answered the call.

I did not believe he could crawl out of the phone and bite me.

But I did not say anything, merely pressing the phone to my ear.

There was static on the line, buzzing and crackling as though the signal was poor.

Then, in broken fragments, I heard a slightly muffled voice.

"Jiang Ning, where did you go? I can't find you!"

There was a busy signal mixed into the voice. It sounded faint and cluttered, with a hint of resentment.

But it was definitely Zhang Qiang's voice.

The thought of that bastard still haunting me even after death made my anger flare up, and I could not help cursing.

"You're fucking dead already, so why are you looking for me?

You stupid piece of shit, stop fucking haunting me..."