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Lovesick Ghost Tales
墨書 Inktalez
Xin Yi stood in the empty living room, the light filtering in from a neighbor's balcony, casting a golden hue on the floor like scattered gold leaf. He hadn’t turned on the lights and was still holding a small cake he bought for Song Bunan. It took him about three seconds to realize the house was empty after he opened the door. His first instinct was to call Song Bunan, wanting to ask where the boy had gone, but he was met with the cold reminder that the number was out of service.
He considered calling Song Buxian instead but hesitated, knowing how strict this person was with his younger brother. If Song Buxian found out that Song Bunan was out late while he was away on business, he would likely hop on a plane just to scold the boy.
After editing a message for Song Bunan, he placed the small cake in the refrigerator and stood at the door, contemplating whether to wait here or head home to await news from Song Bunan. According to Song Buxian, his younger brother had a lively personality; although a bit foolish, he was straightforward and lacked any ulterior motives. Ever since their parents entrusted him with his brother’s upbringing, Xin Yi had adhered to the principle of being lenient with himself while strict with his brother, ensuring that Song Bunan never dared to stay out late.
“Of course, ever since this kid started college, he has become quite disobedient,” Xin Yi recalled a time when they went out for drinks. He remembered how Song Buxian had complained while shaking his glass. “He just started his sophomore year and is already asking if he can date. Before I could respond, he sent me a screenshot of our parents’ chat as if it were an order. They’re both so young yet already talking about relationships while reminding him to stay safe. If it’s unsafe, then don’t date at all!”
“Did he find someone?” Xin Yi asked curiously as he listened to his friend vent without intending to chime in. He watched as Song Buxian looked up at him with an expression that mixed helplessness with mockery. “I’m not mad that he asked that question; I’m mad because my mom told me earlier that he had someone he liked in his freshman year. When he confessed, she said he was too weak. That girl prefers someone strong and tall; he doesn’t fit any of those criteria and ended up heartbroken, posting on social media about needing to work out more. It’s hilarious.”
Xin Yi understood how beautiful girls on campus were often drawn to tall, sun-kissed boys, which made him curious about Song Buxian—who was often described as “small and weak” by others. After all, just looking at Song Buxian revealed that their family had decent meals; while not exactly fat, he certainly wasn’t slim either.
To Xin Yi’s surprise, he found himself attracted to such a thin and frail boy who also had health issues, feeling a flutter of emotions stirring within him again. The boy often displayed an unconscious charm when looking at him, filled with deep affection. Xin Yi knew this feeling might just be a fleeting infatuation from the boy due to his kindness towards him, but he couldn’t bury his feelings any longer—not when they were so evident that even Song Buxian could tease him about it.
Their chat interface paused at a message from Song Buxian: “My brother mentioned in middle school that he might have feelings for boys too. After our parents and I researched it online together, we reluctantly accepted it. So we told him: liking someone is liking someone; gender is just an additional option—it can be there or not. But I still hope you can think it through because he might not understand your feelings.”
Meanwhile, lost in blissful indulgence at the table was Song Bunan, who didn’t lift his head as he savored every bite of food before him. At that moment, if he let his mind wander elsewhere, it would be the greatest disrespect to Uncle Meng and this feast laid out before him. Having not tasted such delicious food in ages, all of the doctor’s advice flew out of his mind; instead of guilt, joy filled him completely.
After every plate was emptied—leaving only broth and garnishes behind—Song Bunan rubbed his full belly and leaned back against his chair with a satisfied sigh and repeated exclamations of how delicious everything was.
Beside him, Xiao Mei slowly wiped his mouth and took a sip of tea before pulling out a set of keys from his pocket and placing them on the table. Curious yet too stuffed to move much, Song Bunan squinted at them and asked, “What’s this?”
The keys were more ornate than ordinary ones; their handles were intricately designed with hollow patterns that obscured their exact shapes. Xiao Mei mirrored Song Bunan's posture against the chair back and said softly, “I mentioned I wanted to tell you something; now that we’re full, let’s have a good chat.”
Xiao Mei suggested they walk as they talked. As they left the small room together, Song Bunan stayed silent and simply followed beside Xiao Mei while listening intently to everything Xiao Mei wanted to express. This topic seemed difficult for Xiao Mei to broach; although he rambled on about various things around it without getting straight to the point, instead of feeling anxious about urging him along, Song Bunan learned many things through these casual remarks.
The person writing in that Black Notebook seemed very objective; whether narrating or explaining things felt like reading an instruction manual where people did strange things for seemingly trivial reasons—making him feel like these individuals might have some issues.
However, within Xiao Mei’s idle chatter were details that aligned with what was written in the notebook; having gained another perspective made everything clearer and allowed him to understand those individuals’ choices better. From these conversations, Song Bunan sensed that he should understand what Xiao Mei wanted him to help with.
As they entered the garden surrounded by blooming roses emitting a faint fragrance enveloping them both, Song Bunan stared at Xiao Mei's back and interrupted him as he prepared to continue speaking: “Xiao Mei, I think I’ve guessed what you want me to help you with.”
The young boy turned around and stared at him intently without saying another word. The slight furrow in Xiao Mei's brow combined with eyes filled with anxiety made Song Bunan feel nervous too; clearing his throat awkwardly while avoiding Xiao Mei's gaze, he focused on a peony blooming among the roses and began:
“You’re staying at Dragon Garden as a gatekeeper because your master disappeared inside it, and this place holds significant meaning for you. The approaching date is your eighteenth birthday—the time your master mentioned something would happen at Gathering Yin Land. To uncover the secrets within this house requires my ability to make it ‘come alive’ for investigation; however, this assistance comes with danger and uncertainty—you’re worried I won’t agree.”
Seeing Xiao Mei remain silent prompted Song Bunan to continue: “You gave me that Black Notebook so I could read what it contained regarding Dragon Garden. Some parts were written by you detailing how you captured ghosts in an empty room on the first floor as preparation for that day’s arrival. Although I don’t fully understand these matters, I consider you my friend—I will definitely help.”
He chose not to disclose what he saw in the notebook regarding someone named Xuanqin having two disciples; based on what Xiao Mei shared about events surrounding them indicated that he likely knew one of those disciples well. Revealing what was written could harm those two individuals. Choosing to assist Xiao Mei stemmed from genuine friendship but also served as an opportunity for him to investigate his own ailments further—if those issues truly originated from Dragon Garden and if there was some connection between them.
Through their back-and-forth conversation, they managed to outline how they would proceed moving forward regarding their plans effectively. Xiao Mei's birthday happened to fall next weekend while his own work started Monday—allowing them both time without conflict.
As Song Bunan wandered around the courtyard until drowsiness began creeping in on him, Xiao Mei finally noted it was past eleven o'clock at night and suggested they tidy up before heading off to bed. While walking back inside, Song Bunan felt an unsettling sense that something important slipped his mind but couldn’t pinpoint what it was until sitting down in the guest room when he pulled out his phone from his bag only to find it had shut off sometime during their conversation—then suddenly everything he'd forgotten came crashing back into focus.
He had forgotten that Xin Yi would come over tonight to bring him dinner, and his phone being turned off meant he had no reminders at all.
As he rushed out of the guest room to find Xiao Mei and ask if he had a charger, he realized that the yard outside looked completely different from when he had entered the house. The once lush trees and blooming flowers were now shrouded in a faint mist, and even the path beneath his feet was in disrepair. Turning to look around, he saw no light in any direction.
Standing in the yard, Song Bunan seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation, but his urgency to get his phone charged and turned on prevented him from thinking too deeply. He simply turned around and went back inside.
Inside, he noticed that the lights had also gone out at some point, and the mist began to seep into the room, filling his vision and obscuring his surroundings. Song Bunan tightened his grip on his phone, took a deep breath, and followed his memory to the bedside. He fumbled around until he found his bag and then sat down heavily on the bed.
He recalled that he had experienced something similar in his dreams before.
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